Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 204 › Conversation 204-005

Nixon phone call with Camp David Operator on Camp David and Telecommunications

Thursday, August 17, 1972 · 10:51 PM–11:02 PM ET · Camp David Hard Wire · 7 sec

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Camp David OperatorConversation204-005 on Tape 204StartThursday, August 17, 1972 at 10:51 PMEndThursday, August 17, 1972 at 11:02 PMRecording deviceCamp David Hard WireSourceNixon Library record for 204-005 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon initiated a brief, frustrated contact with the Camp David telephone operator late in the evening. The exchange appears to stem from a technical malfunction or confusion regarding the operation of the telecommunications equipment at Aspen Lodge. No substantive policy matters were addressed during this interaction.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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What the f***?

NARA Description

On August 17, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 10:51 pm and 11:02 pm. The Camp David Hard Wire taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 204-005 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 204-5

Date: August 17, 1972
Time: Unknown between 10:51 pm and 11:02 pm
Location: Camp David Hard Wire

The President talked with the Camp David operator.

[See Conversation No. 140-30]

Also recorded on August 18, 1972

  • 140-030 10:51 PM · 9 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 10:51 pm and 11:02 pm.
  • 140-031 11:02 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman talked on the telephone at Camp David from 11:02 pm to 11:04 pm.
  • 204-006 11:02 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David from 11:02 pm to 11:04 pm.
  • 140-032 11:04 PM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 11:04 pm and 11:43 pm.
  • 140-033 11:04 PM · 8 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 11:04 pm and 11:43 pm.
  • 204-007 11:04 PM · 6 min — President Richard M. Nixon met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 11:04 pm and 11:43 pm.
  • 204-008 11:04 PM · 7 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 11:04 pm and 11:43 pm.
  • 204-009 11:04 PM · 24 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Rose Mary Woods, Camp David operator, and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David on an unknown date, sometime between 11:04 pm on August 17, 1972 and 12:45 am on August 18, 1972.

All 22 conversations from August 18, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 204-005, August 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/204-005 (accessed October 12, 2026).