Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 237 › Conversation 237-039

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

Friday, December 29, 1972 · 6:52 PM–7:02 PM ET · Camp David Hard Wire · 18 sec

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Camp David OperatorConversation237-039 on Tape 237StartFriday, December 29, 1972 at 6:52 PMEndFriday, December 29, 1972 at 7:02 PMRecording deviceCamp David Hard WireSourceNixon Library record for 237-039 ↗

President Nixon requested that the Camp David operator connect him with U. Alexis Johnson of the State Department. This brief administrative exchange served as an attempt to establish direct communication with the senior diplomat. No further substantive discussion or policy developments occurred during this brief interaction.

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Alex Johnson of the State Department, please.
Alex Johnson of the State Department.

On December 29, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at an unknown time between 6:52 pm and 7:02 pm. The Camp David Hard Wire taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 237-039 of the White House Tapes.

Conversation No. 237-39

Date: December 29, 1972
Time: Unknown between 6:52 pm and 7:02 pm
                                               -17-

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                                         Conversation No. 237-39 (cont’d)

Location: Camp David Hard Wire

The President talked with the Camp David operator.

[See Conversation No. 158-31]
  • 158-027 6:44 PM · 14 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 6:44 pm and 6:49 pm.
  • 158-028 6:49 PM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Col. Richard T. Kennedy talked on the telephone at Camp David from 6:49 pm to 6:52 pm.
  • 237-036 6:49 PM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Col. Richard T. Kennedy met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David from 6:49 pm to 6:52 pm.
  • 158-029 6:52 PM · 24 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at 6:52 pm.
  • 158-030 6:52 PM · 16 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at 6:52 pm.
  • 158-031 6:52 PM · 22 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 6:52 pm and 7:02 pm.
  • 237-037 6:52 PM · 19 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at 6:52 pm.
  • 237-038 6:52 PM · 15 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Camp David operator met in the Aspen Lodge study at Camp David at 6:52 pm.

Conversation 237-039, December 29, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/237-039 (accessed October 14, 2026).