Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 130 › Conversation 130-005

Nixon phone call with Camp David Operator on H.R. Haldeman

Thursday, May 18, 1972 · 5:45 PM–5:55 PM ET · Camp David Study Table · 6 sec

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Camp David OperatorConversation130-005 on Tape 130 (tape position 00:05:58–00:06:08)StartThursday, May 18, 1972 at 5:45 PMEndThursday, May 18, 1972 at 5:55 PMRecording deviceCamp David Study TableSourceNixon Library record for 130-005 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon contacted the Camp David operator to facilitate an urgent connection with his Chief of Staff, H.R. Haldeman. This brief interaction served solely as a logistical bridge to initiate a direct line of communication between the President and his top aide. No substantive policy matters or strategic discussions occurred during this brief exchange.

Audio

Download MP3 · 0.2 MB

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

Download transcript (.txt) · JSON data

Yes, please.
Harleman, please.
Thank you, Mr. President.

NARA Description

On May 18, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 5:45 pm and 5:55 pm. The Camp David Study Table taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 130-005 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 130-5

Date: May 18, 1972
Time: Unknown between 5:45 pm and 5:55 pm
Location: Camp David Study Table

The President talked with the Camp David operator.

[See also Conversation No. 188-7]

     Call to H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman

Also recorded on May 18, 1972

  • 130-003 5:34 PM · 6 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 5:34 pm and 5:44 pm.
  • 188-003 5:34 PM · 5 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 5:34 pm and 5:44 pm.
  • 188-004 5:34 PM · 20 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Beverly J. Kaye met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 5:34 pm and 5:44 pm.
  • 130-004 5:44 PM · 59 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman talked on the telephone at Camp David from 5:44 pm to 5:45 pm.
  • 188-006 5:44 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David from 5:44 pm to 5:45 pm.
  • 188-007 5:45 PM · 6 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 5:45 pm and 5:55 pm.
  • 130-006 5:55 PM · 33 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman talked on the telephone at Camp David from 5:55 pm to 5:56 pm.
  • 188-008 5:55 PM · 31 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David from 5:55 pm to 5:56 pm.

All 90 conversations from May 18, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 130-005, May 18, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/130-005 (accessed October 17, 2026).