Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 231 › Conversation 231-003

Nixon, Toumayan & Camp David Operator on Félix Houphouët-Boigny

Monday, November 27, 1972 · 9:30 AM–11:14 AM ET · Camp David Hard Wire · 17 min

ParticipantsBrennan, John V.; Toumayan, Alex G.; Camp David Operator; Nixon, Richard M. (President); Houphouet-Boigny, FelixConversation231-003 on Tape 231StartMonday, November 27, 1972 at 9:30 AMEndMonday, November 27, 1972 at 11:14 AMRecording deviceCamp David Hard WireSourceNixon Library record for 231-003 ↗

AI Summary

This recording documents the technical preparations and subsequent telephone conversation between President Richard Nixon and President Félix Houphouët-Boigny of the Ivory Coast, facilitated by White House staff and interpreters. The call marked the inauguration of a new satellite communications link between the two nations, providing an opportunity for both leaders to express mutual admiration for their respective economic development efforts and foreign policy goals. Nixon affirmed his continued interest in U.S.-Ivory Coast cooperation and pledged to support the nation's progress throughout his second term.

Audio

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Transcript (AI-generated)

This transcript is incomplete. The transcription skipped stretches of speech — roughly 4 minutes of this recording (about 22% of it) is represented by only a few words. Listen to the audio rather than relying on the text below; a corrected transcript is queued.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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The other presidential line is where the interpreter will be.
And the call will be when it comes in.
I'll check this line, and Tim will check that, and you just tell me that the President is here, and I'll hand this phone to the President.
It's supposed to be exactly at 11.
Okay, thanks.
I'll wait here for you to...
Yeah, maybe I understand.
Yeah.
Yeah, that's right.
Yeah, you can see the smoke.
Yeah.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Yeah.
It's going to be a...
It's going to go down a few more.
I have to... Yeah, that should... That should work out.
We'll just get prepared for when I go to the office.
So just as I was getting to the club in Virginia, I arrived to get the light.
And my foot caught on the edge of that slab, you know, the cradle over the freeway.
And I thought, well, if they're not on my knees, what's going to happen?
Oh, my goodness.
So I had to get up in this cuff state from the inside.
Well, if I wanted to do this, you'd have to be careful.
Yeah, I do.
It's good people present with a record like that.
But, but, but, but, but, but, but, but, but, but, but, but, but,
Hello.
No, I'm listening in.
I'm just going to be interesting from here.
That's right.
All right.
Now, is the interpreter's line in on conference?
It should be on conference.
Okay.
Hello?
Hello?
Hello, yes?
Hold everything in second.
Thank you.
I'm not hearing anyone right now.
Hello?
Hello?
Put the I-records down, please.
The president's here.
No, no.
Do you want me to ask for the connection in French, operator?
Hello, Côte d'Ivoire?
The president Nixon is in his office at the moment in Côte d'Ivoire.
The president is in his office?
Hello?
We have to call in technicians to see if there's anything they can do on the circuit.
This is Jack Brown.
I can't save it.
I can make it very well.
Yes, sir?
OK. Hello?
Hello, Madeline.
Yes, this is Major Brown from the President's Aged Camp.
David, I hear you very well.
Okay, and this is in truth for President Nixon.
I can hear you very clearly, too.
Can you hear me?
Okay, well, okay, fine.
Mr. President, hope I've let you in on the line.
All right, thank you.
Now, I just want to just greet him and say just one moment for the President.
Hello, Mr. President?
Hello?
Hello, we're putting President Nixon online right now.
Is it the president on the phone?
Yes, yes, yes.
But stay, Mr. President.
I'm the president's interpreter.
The president...
I'm going to pick up your phone in a second.
The president is coming.
Hello?
Hello?
You have President Nixon in your office, Mr. President.
Mr. President, the inauguration of our land station for communication following the example set by your great country gives me the occasion to reiterate our gratitude for the contribution you have made to our development.
And the inauguration of the costume dam last week in the presence of your personal representative gave a brilliant demonstration of the personal interest you take in our development.
And the people of our recourse will never forget this.
To avail myself of this opportunity to express our appreciation.
Your persistent search for a peace that is real, just and lasting.
And I express the aspiration of all people in voicing their hope.
that these efforts will be successful, that you will have good health and the protection of the everlasting.
Mr. President, I greatly appreciate the opportunity to talk to you personally by telephone through this historic new satellite communication.
And while I have not had the opportunity of meeting you personally, my wife still speaks of her very warm memories of the wonderful welcome she received when she was in Ivory Coast last year.
On my own visit to Ivory Coast,
during the 1960s, I was enormously impressed by the economic progress, by the tremendous development of your country.
And as a mention reported to me and other friends like Edgar Kaiser, who was recently in your country, that the United Coast is
It's one of the finest examples in the world of a new country making great economic progress under dynamic leadership of its president.
And Mrs. Nixon told me, and my friend Edgar Kyle, who was recently in your country, also told me that the Ivory Coast is one of the most beautiful examples in the world of new nations making enormous economic progress under the guise of an extremely dynamic direction.
I can assure you, Mr. President, that during the remainder of my term of office these next four years, that you can always count on not only the United States government to cooperate with your government for progress for both of our people, but you can count on my personal interest in your country and in your own success.
And I want to assure you, Mr. President, that during the rest of my mandate, during the next four years, you can always count not only on the official collaboration of my government for progress between our two peoples, but also on my personal interest towards you and your country.
Because peace, greater opportunity, progress, justice for all people in the world, wherever they may live,
is our common goal, and I look forward to working with you toward the achievement of that goal, not only in your country, but in the great continent of Africa and all over the world.
Because peace, the greatest possibilities for all, progress and justice for all peoples of the world, represent so many common goals between you, Mr. President, and myself,
And I want to work with you, to work with you in this direction, not only with your country, but with the great African continent and all the other countries.
And I hope to have the opportunity during my mandate to meet you officially at some point.
I would be very happy to respond to your invitation.
Thank you very much.
And we have our best wishes for the Christmas season and the New Year to all of your people.
Thank you.
We have the same fervent wishes for you and your family.
Thank you, Mr. President.
All right.

NARA Description

On November 27, 1972, John V. Brennan, Alex G. Toumayan, Camp David operator, President Richard M. Nixon, and Felix Houphouet-Boigny met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 9:30 am and 11:14 am. The Camp David Hard Wire taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 231-003 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 231-3

Date: November 27, 1972
Time: Unknown between 9:30 am and 11:14 am
Location: Camp David Hard Wire

John V. (“Jack”) Brennan met with Alec G. Toumayan.

Brennan talked with the Camp David operator at an unknown time between 9:30 am and 11:14
am.

[Conversation No. 231-3A]

[See Conversation Nos. 156-3 and 183-4]

[End of telephone conversation]

       The President’s forthcoming conversation with Felix Houphouet-Boigny
            -Preparations for incoming telephone call
                  -Telephone line
                  -Recording
                         -State Department
                         -Disposition
                               -National Security Council
                  -End of telephone conversation
                         -Brennan’s location

       Smoke

       Telephone connection
            -West German operator

       The President’s forthcoming conversation with Houphouet-Boigny
            -Preparations for incoming telephone call

       Toumayan’s recent accident
           -Toumayan’s schedule
                -Virginia
           -Repair
                -Mrs. Toumayan
                                              -3-

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                                               Conversation No.231-3 (cont’d)

       Call

Brennan, Toumayan, Camp David operators, interpreters, and overseas operators are on the line.

[Conversation No. 231-3B]

[See Conversation Nos. 156-3 and 183-5]

Brennan left at an unknown time before 11:14 am.

The President and Brennan entered at an unknown time after 9:30 am.

Houphouet-Boigny talked with the President between 11:14 am and 11:20 am.

Also recorded on November 27, 1972

  • 156-001 9:30 AM · 17 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 9:30 am and 11:14 am.
  • 156-002 9:30 AM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 9:30 am and 11:14 am.
  • 156-003 9:30 AM · 18 min — Camp David operator, John V. Brennan, President Richard M. Nixon, and Felix Houphouet-Boigny talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 9:30 am and 11:20 am.
  • 183-004 9:30 AM · 1 min — John V. Brennan, Camp David operator, and Alex G. Toumayan talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 9:30 am and 11:14 am.
  • 183-005 9:30 AM · 17 min — Camp David operator, John V. Brennan, Alex G. Toumayan, President Richard M. Nixon, and Felix Houphouet-Boigny talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 9:30 am and 11:20 am.
  • 231-001 9:30 AM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 9:30 am and 11:14 am.
  • 231-002 9:30 AM · 44 sec — John V. Brennan and Alex G. Toumayan met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 9:30 am and 11:14 am.
  • 231-019 9:30 AM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 9:30 am and 11:14 am.

All 19 conversations from November 27, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 231-003, November 27, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/231-003 (accessed October 10, 2026).