Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 158 › Conversation 158-052

Nixon phone call with Camp David Operator on U. Alexis Johnson

Saturday, December 30, 1972 · 12:37 PM–12:38 PM ET · Camp David Study Table · 16 sec

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Camp David OperatorConversation158-052 on Tape 158StartSaturday, December 30, 1972 at 12:37 PMEndSaturday, December 30, 1972 at 12:38 PMRecording deviceCamp David Study TableSourceNixon Library record for 158-052 ↗

President Nixon contacted the Camp David operator to facilitate an urgent communication with Under Secretary of State U. Alexis Johnson. The brief administrative exchange focused exclusively on connecting the President with the State Department official. No further policy discussion or substantive developments occurred during this connection attempt.

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On December 30, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 12:37 pm and 12:38 pm. The Camp David Study Table taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 158-052 of the White House Tapes.

Conversation No. 158-52

Date: December 30, 1972
Time: Unknown between 12:37 pm and 12:38 pm
Location: Camp David Study Table

The President talked with the Camp David operator.

[See Conversation No. 238-14]

       Request for a call to U. Alexis Johnson
            -Johnson’s identity
                   -Under Secretary of State
  • 158-051 12:35 PM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Adm. Thomas H. Moorer talked on the telephone at Camp David from 12:35 pm to 12:37 pm.
  • 238-013 12:35 PM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Adm. Thomas H. Moorer met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David from 12:35 pm to 12:37 pm.
  • 238-014 12:37 PM · 14 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 12:37 pm and 12:38 pm.
  • 158-053 12:38 PM · 23 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at 12:38 pm.
  • 238-015 12:38 PM · 24 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at 12:38 pm.
  • 238-016 12:38 PM · 26 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 12:38 pm and 12:40 pm.
  • 158-054 12:40 PM · 16 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at 12:40 pm.
  • 238-017 12:40 PM · 19 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at 12:40 pm.

Conversation 158-052, December 30, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/158-052 (accessed October 11, 2026).