Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 137 › Conversation 137-001

Nixon phone call with Camp David Operator on Henry Kissinger

Friday, August 11, 1972 · 4:14 PM–4:16 PM ET · Camp David Study Table · 9 sec

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Camp David OperatorConversation137-001 on Tape 137StartFriday, August 11, 1972 at 4:14 PMEndFriday, August 11, 1972 at 4:16 PMRecording deviceCamp David Study TableSourceNixon Library record for 137-001 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon contacted the Camp David operator to facilitate an urgent connection with National Security Advisor Henry Kissinger. This brief interaction served solely as a logistical request to initiate a secure line for an upcoming consultation. No further policy discussions or substantive developments occurred during this brief communication.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.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.
Dr. Kessinger, please.
Thank you, Mr. President.

NARA Description

On August 11, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 4:14 pm and 4:16 pm. The Camp David Study Table taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 137-001 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 137-1

Date: August 11, 1972
Time: Unknown between 4:14 pm and 4:16 pm
Location: Camp David Study Table

The President talked with the Camp David operator.

     Request for a call to Henry A. Kissinger

Also recorded on August 11, 1972

  • 767-025 1:23 PM · 40 sec — President Richard M. Nixon, Rose Mary Woods, and Arthur F. Burns met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 1:23 pm and 1:26 pm.
  • 767-026 1:26 PM · 57 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Rose Mary Woods met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 1:26 pm and 1:28 pm.
  • 767-027 1:26 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Rose Mary Woods met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 1:26 pm and 1:28 pm.
  • 767-028 1:28 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the Oval Office of the White House from 1:28 pm to 1:29 pm.
  • 137-002 4:16 PM · 9 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Henry A. Kissinger talked on the telephone at Camp David from 4:16 pm to 4:25 pm.
  • 137-003 6:14 PM · 56 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson talked on the telephone at Camp David from 6:14 pm to 6:35 pm.
  • 201-001 6:14 PM · 14 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Charles W. Colson met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David from 6:14 pm to 6:35 pm.
  • 137-004 6:35 PM · 9 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 6:35 pm and 7:33 pm.

All 41 conversations from August 11, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 137-001, August 11, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/137-001 (accessed October 12, 2026).