Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 43 › Conversation 043-038

Nixon phone call with Haldeman on William P. Rogers and Indira Gandhi

Wednesday, February 7, 1973 · 1:00 PM–1:01 PM ET · White House Telephone · 1 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob")Conversation043-038 on Tape 43StartWednesday, February 7, 1973 at 1:00 PMEndWednesday, February 7, 1973 at 1:01 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 043-038 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and H. R. Haldeman discuss how Secretary of State William P. Rogers should respond to harsh public criticisms of U.S. Vietnam policy made by Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. While National Security Council staff advised a 'no comment' approach, Nixon explicitly overrules them and authorizes Rogers to publicly rebuke Gandhi's remarks. Nixon instructs Haldeman to have Rogers use the President's previous correspondence regarding peace efforts as the basis for his response.

Audio

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Transcript (AI-generated)

This transcript was generated automatically by AI (WhisperX) and has not been reviewed for accuracy. Names and numbers are often wrong; speakers are not identified. Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Question.
I have Mr. Haldeman calling.
Okay.
Nayak.
Hello.
Yes, sir.
Bill Rogers is about to go out to his regular press conference, and he wants your approval to hit back at Mrs. Gandy.
Did you see the statement she made?
No.
Well, she, as reported by the wires, bitterly attacked American policy in Asia today despite quiet diplomatic efforts in recent weeks to soothe the strained relations.
And she said she at the...
would this sort of war the savage bombing which has been taking place been tolerated so long if the people have been european i can't help feeling the very manner of ending the vietnam war may create new tensions and all that the nsc guys feel that he should not take her on he feels very strongly that he can't no comment and that he's got to say something
What he'd like to say is read from your letter about, you know, seeking peace in the area and all that stuff, and then saying it's difficult to comprehend and unwelcome remarks.
No, I don't agree with the NSC people.
Let him do it.
Okay.
All right.
Thank you.

NARA Description

On February 7, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman talked on the telephone from 1:00 pm to 1:01 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 043-038 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 43-38

Date: February 7, 1973
Time: 1:00 pm - 1:01 pm
Location: White House Telephone

H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman talked with the President.

       William P. Rogers’s press conference
             -Indira Gandhi’s comments to press
                   -US policy in Asia
                        -Vietnam War
                   -Rogers’s response
                        -National Security Council [NSC] view
                        -The President’s view

Also recorded on February 7, 1973

  • 852-010 12:26 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Stephen B. Bull, White House photographer, J. Roy Goodearle, Mrs. J. Roy Goodearle, Sarah Goodearle, Harold Goodearle, Ellen Good, and Doris Good met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:26 pm to 12:29 pm.
  • 852-019 12:26 PM · 12 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the Oval Office of the White House at 12:26 pm.
  • 852-011 12:29 PM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Stephen B. Bull, White House photographer, E. Pendleton James, Julie James, and Rob James met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:29 pm to 12:33 pm.
  • 852-012 12:33 PM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon, White House photographer, W. Richard Howard, Patrick E. O'Donnell, and Mrs. Patrick E. O'Donnell met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:33 pm to 12:36 pm.
  • 852-013 12:36 PM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Stephen B. Bull, and Manolo Sanchez met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 12:36 pm and 12:40 pm.
  • 852-020 12:40 PM · 1 min — unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 12:40 pm and 3:10 pm.
  • 043-037 12:41 PM · 16 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 12:41 pm.
  • 043-039 12:45 PM · 1 min — Charles W. Colson, White House operator, unknown person(s), and W. Richard Howard talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 12:45 pm and 1:20 pm.

All 28 conversations from February 7, 1973 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 043-038, February 7, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/043-038 (accessed October 1, 2026).