Nixon White House Tapes ›Tape 131 › Conversation 131-029

Nixon phone call with Haldeman on Head of State gifts and Public relations

Thursday, May 18, 1972 · 11:22 AM–11:23 AM ET · Camp David Study Table ·2 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob")Conversation131-029 onTape 131 (tape position 02:11:57–02:13:29)StartThursday, May 18, 1972 at 11:22 AMEndThursday, May 18, 1972 at 11:23 AMRecording deviceCamp David Study TableSourceNixon Library record for 131-029 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and H. R. Haldeman discuss the public relations risks associated with the President gifting a Cadillac to Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev. They weigh the optics of this exchange against the precedent of receiving pandas from the People’s Republic of China, emphasizing that the gift is a reciprocal trade for a Soviet hydrofoil rather than an ostentatious gesture. To mitigate potential criticism regarding the expense, Nixon directs Haldeman to involve Richard A. Moore in crafting a narrative that frames the transaction as a balanced, material exchange between the two nations.

Audio

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Transcript (AI-generated)

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Yeah.
Yes, sir.
As you know, I'm aware of the PR problems of an expensive gift of this sort.
There are also PR problems of accepting a gift of that.
I mean, although the Chinese gift is worth infinitely more, as you know.
Yep.
They aren't as blatant.
They're not as ostentatious.
Yep.
But I think you ought to get somebody like Moore in on the act to see it.
We'll say, now, how do you think we ought to handle this?
Pointing out the background, you know, that what happened was that we learned that the Soviet government, they asked if they could present a hydrofoil because they're very proud of their hydrofoils.
And so we said we couldn't accept that unless we could prevent something, you know, in kind.
And what would the Soviet government want?
And Brezhnev said, well, you'd like a car.
We do cars well.
They do hydrofoils well.
That's really the story.
It's the God's truth.
I think if it's well handled, it's all right, except that the idea of giving a Cadillac to Brezhnev can be a hell of a negative story if it's handled that way.
No problem.
We just got to be sure and do it that way.
It's a problem unless you point out that our gift was less expensive than theirs.
Right.
And it's basically a sort of material exchange.
Okay.
Okay.

NARA Description

On May 18, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman talked on the telephone at Camp David from 11:22 am to 11:23 am. The Camp David Study Table taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 131-029 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 131-29
Date: May 18, 1972
Time: 11:22 am - 11:23 am
Location: Camp David Study Table

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

[See also Conversation No. 191-8]

     Head of State gifts
          -Public relations problems
                -Expense
                -Pandas from People's Republic of China [PRC]
                      -The President’s view
          -Richard A. Moore's advice
          -Hydrofoil
                -Soviet choice
          -Leonid I. Brezhnev's choice
                -Car
                -Cadillac
          -Publicity situation
                -Expense

Also recorded on May 18, 1972

  • 131-028 11:08 AM · 7 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 11:08 am and 11:22 am.
  • 191-008 11:22 AM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David from 11:22 am to 11:23 am.
  • 131-030 11:23 AM · 6 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 11:23 am and 11:24 am.
  • 191-009 11:23 AM · 5 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 11:23 am and 11:24 am.
  • 131-031 11:24 AM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman talked on the telephone at Camp David from 11:24 am to 11:26 am.
  • 191-010 11:24 AM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David from 11:24 am to 11:26 am.
  • 131-032 11:34 AM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Camp David operator, and George P. Shultz talked on the telephone at Camp David from 11:34 am to 11:37 am.
  • 191-011 11:34 AM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and George P. Shultz met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David from 11:34 am to 11:37 am.

All 90 conversations from May 18, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 131-029, 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/131-029 (accessed September 18, 2026).