Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 131 › Conversation 131-037

Nixon phone call with Camp David Operator on Camp David

Thursday, May 18, 1972 · 11:45 AM–11:48 AM ET · Camp David Study Table · 9 sec

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Camp David OperatorConversation131-037 on Tape 131 (tape position 02:22:56–02:23:06)StartThursday, May 18, 1972 at 11:45 AMEndThursday, May 18, 1972 at 11:48 AMRecording deviceCamp David Study TableSourceNixon Library record for 131-037 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon contacted the Camp David switchboard operator to facilitate a personal phone call to First Lady Pat Nixon. The brief interaction served solely to request that the operator connect the President to his wife. No substantive political or administrative matters were discussed during this request.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Yes, please.
Mrs. Nixon, 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 11:45 am and 11:48 am. The Camp David Study Table taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 131-037 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 131-37

Date: May 18, 1972
Time: Unknown between 11:45 am and 11:48 am
Location: Camp David Study Table

The President talked with the Camp David operator.

[See also Conversation No. 191-16]

     Request for a call to Thelma C. (“Pat”) Nixon

Also recorded on May 18, 1972

  • 131-034 11:38 AM · 4 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Rose Mary Woods talked on the telephone at Camp David from 11:38 am to 11:42 am.
  • 131-035 11:42 AM · 6 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at 11:42 am.
  • 191-014 11:42 AM · 3 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 11:42 am and 11:44 am.
  • 131-036 11:44 AM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman talked on the telephone at Camp David from 11:44 am to 11:45 am.
  • 191-015 11:44 AM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David from 11:44 am to 11:45 am.
  • 191-016 11:45 AM · 9 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 11:45 am and 11:48 am.
  • 131-038 11:48 AM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Thelma C. ("Pat") (Ryan) Nixon talked on the telephone at Camp David from 11:48 am to 11:50 am.
  • 191-017 11:48 AM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Thelma C. ("Pat") (Ryan) Nixon met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David from 11:48 am to 11:50 am.

All 90 conversations from May 18, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 131-037, 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/131-037 (accessed October 23, 2026).