Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 131 › Conversation 131-001

Nixon phone call with an unidentified caller on Camp David

Tuesday, May 16, 1972 · 12:01 AM–2:26 PM ET · Camp David Study Table · 2 min

Participants[Unknown person(s)]Conversation131-001 on Tape 131 (tape position 00:00:20–00:02:14)StartTuesday, May 16, 1972 at 12:01 AMEndWednesday, May 17, 1972 at 2:26 PMRecording deviceCamp David Study TableSourceNixon Library record for 131-001 ↗

AI Summary

Technical staff conducted a verification process to ensure the operational status and security of multiple telephone lines located at the Camp David study table. Participants coordinated a plan to have an individual named Robinson dispatch personnel to finalize these technical checks. The conversation concluded with a scheduled follow-up call to confirm that the monitoring equipment was functioning correctly across all instruments.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

Download transcript (.txt) · JSON data

· Click a timestamp to play from that point; the page address then links to that moment (e.g. #t=125).
How's it going now?
Looks good.
OK. By the way, let me check something.
We'll get you on the line.
OK. You got to check something.
Then he's going to get back to me.
Yeah.
We disregarded the other phone in here.
OK.
Uh, why don't you try and call me on that one?
It's not the same thing I just did.
Just picked it up.
Oh, okay then.
You mean a secure phone up there?
No.
Uh, oh, you're on it now?
No.
There's, uh, two other, there's two instruments, you know, and we just... Yeah.
Where's the other one?
Uh, the ones over by is the easy chair there on that table.
That's smart.
Well?
Let me see.
Okay, that's okay then.
Okay?
Yeah.
Yeah, I guess I did more.
Just tying loose up there for a little bit.
Well, one way or the other, we can do the work from your end, right?
Yeah, but we just want to check it.
How about doing this?
Okay.
Call up Robinson.
Tell him to send his people over to go ahead and check it up.
You hang loose up there for a while.
In the study?
Yeah.
And, well, you can stand outside, and then in about 15 minutes give me a call.
All right, at 1230.
Okay.
All right, and that way we'll... Yeah, because, you know, there was only mention of one, you know.
Yeah.
Okay, so I'll call Robinson.
Robinson asks where we are.
We're monitoring.
Okay, fine.
All right.
Okay, we'll see you.
Bye.

NARA Description

Unknown person(s) talked on the telephone at Camp David on an unknown date, sometime between 12:01 am on May 16, 1972 and 2:26 pm on May 17, 1972. The Camp David Study Table taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 131-001 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 131-1

Date: Unknown between May 16 and 17, 1972
Time: Unknown between 12:01 am, May 16 and 2:26 pm, May 17
Location: Camp David Study Table

An unknown man talked with an unknown man.

     A check on recording system
          -Secure telephone
          -Number
          -Location
                -Table
          -[Forename unknown] Robinson
          -Return call
                -Time
          -Call to Robinson

Also recorded on May 16, 1972

  • 024-133 11:07 PM · 5 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 11:07 pm and 11:12 pm.
  • 024-134 11:12 PM · 29 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson talked on the telephone from 11:12 pm to 11:41 pm.
  • 024-135 11:41 PM · 10 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 11:41 pm and 11:42 pm.
  • 024-136 11:42 PM · 7 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Joe D. Waggonner, Jr., and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman talked on the telephone from 11:42 pm to 11:49 pm.
  • 131-002 12:01 AM · 23 sec — Unknown person(s) and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David on an unknown date, sometime between 12:01 am on May 16, 1972 and 2:26 pm on May 17, 1972.
  • 131-003 12:01 AM · 52 sec — Unknown person(s) and John ("Microwave") Mizzer talked on the telephone at Camp David on an unknown date, sometime between 12:01 am on May 16, 1972 and 2:26 pm on May 17, 1972.
  • 131-004 12:01 AM · 1 min — John ("Microwave") Mizzer, Camp David operator, and unknown person(s) talked on the telephone at Camp David on an unknown date, sometime between 12:01 am on May 16, 1972 and 2:26 pm on May 17, 1972.
  • 024-147 1:05 AM · 6 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 1:05 am and 10:11 am.

All 113 conversations from May 16, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 131-001, May 16, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/131-001 (accessed October 9, 2026).