Nixon White House TapesTape 270 › Conversation 270-003

Nixon & Kissinger on Kama River Project and Soviet Union

Tuesday, August 3, 1971 · 3:50 PM–3:55 PM ET · Old Executive Office Building

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  Kissinger, Henry A.;  [Unknown person(s)]Conversation270-003 onTape 270 (tape position 00:07:17–00:17:54)StartTuesday, August 3, 1971 at 3:50 PMEndTuesday, August 3, 1971 at 3:55 PMRecording deviceOld Executive Office BuildingSourceNixon Library record for 270-003 ↗

President Nixon and Henry Kissinger met to coordinate talking points for a forthcoming press conference, specifically regarding the complex approval status of the Kama River Project foundry deal with the Soviet Union. The discussion touched upon managing potential inquiries from the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the broader diplomatic implications of U.S.-Soviet relations. Additionally, the participants briefly reviewed administrative matters, including the upcoming departure of David K.E. Bruce and perceptions of Secretary of State William P. Rogers among liberal factions.

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This conversation has not yet been cut into its own clip, so the player above contains the full tape segment shared with neighbouring conversations. It begins about 00:07:17 into the tape and ends around 00:17:54.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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7:26The Mack truck deal, maybe you asked about that.
7:35You can say that we're doing it.
7:37It's a very complicated business.
7:40Well, I wouldn't put it on the basis of the Mack truck.
7:44It's a big project, a calmer river project.
7:52And...
7:55We are looking at it, and it's a very complicated thing because it's in 40-day travel plan.
8:00We're looking at it by categories and we've approved the boundary part of it.
8:10Have they announced it?
8:11Isn't that it?
8:13I can't answer that.
8:19Um, we can check it for you tomorrow.
8:21It should be a negative.
8:22It's just being, you've just approved a line.
8:24You've just approved a line, which is about $175,000.
8:27We have a lot of time to consider it.
8:30You take that.
8:31Great, thank you.
8:32Here's the password.
8:54The foreign relations committee was ecstatic about my appearance.
9:00But that really, it wasn't that I was on board, Mr. President.
9:03If I had said the same thing four weeks ago, people would have talked about credibility again, but I've gone for the election.
9:12I think it's that the general atmosphere is concerned.
9:28We're here.
9:56Did you see why the president actually went to see him for the hand-tasks and the offices?
10:03So much more they were helping the crowd here.
10:06What?
10:07What good does Russia do anything like that?
10:10They don't do anything for the amount of concentration.
10:13No.
10:13And it shows it.
10:16That's the truth.
10:16You say it shows it.
10:17And it shows it.
10:18It's after all.
10:21He's played golf in the last month or two, so I'm not saying he's trying to attempt to play after the liberals.
10:29They would have made it his idea, or he could have made it more common.
10:59I've got to be there someplace.
11:35You told me about it.
12:02I've told you that you're considered...
12:04I've told you that you're considered...
12:06I've told you that you're considered...
12:09I've told you that you're considered...
12:12I've told you that you're considered...
12:15I've told you that you're considered...
12:18I've told you that you're considered...
12:21I've told you that you're considered...
12:24I've told you that you're considered...
12:27I've told you that you're considered...
18:00I'm sorry, I rang.
18:01I remember.

On August 3, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, Henry A. Kissinger, and unknown person(s) met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 3:50 pm to 3:55 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 270-003 of the White House Tapes.

Conversation No. 270-3

Date: August 3, 1971
Time: 3:50 pm - 3:55 pm
Location: Executive Office Building

The President met with Henry A. Kissinger.

     Telephone call
          -Peking

     Forthcoming press conference
          -Possible question
               -Union of Soviet Socialist Republics [USSR]
                     -Mack Truck deal
                           -Kama River Project
                           -Foundry
                                -Approval
                                      -Announcement
                                -Cost
                           -Senate Foreign Relations Committee
                                -Kissinger’s appearance

An unknown person entered at an unknown time between 3:50 pm and 3:55 pm.

     Request

The unknown person left at an unknown time between 3:50 pm and 3:55 pm.

     William P. Rogers
          -John Foster Dulles
          -Liberals

     Forthcoming press conference
          -Possible question
               -Vietnam
                     -David K.E. Bruce
                           -Departure
                                -Welcome by President

Kissinger left at 3:55 pm.
  • 270-002 3:40 PM · 5 min — President Richard M. Nixon and John B. Connally met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 3:40 pm to 3:43 pm.
  • 270-004 3:55 PM · 29 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 3:55 pm and 4:09 pm.
  • 270-005 3:55 PM · 14 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 3:55 pm and 4:09 pm.
  • 270-006 4:09 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Caspar W. ("Cap") Weinberger met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 4:09 pm to 4:10 pm.
  • 270-007 4:11 PM · 14 min — President Richard M. Nixon and John D. Ehrlichman met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 4:11 pm to 4:12 pm.
  • 270-008 4:12 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 4:12 pm and 4:50 pm.
  • 270-009 4:50 PM · 16 min — President Richard M. Nixon and George P. Shultz met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 4:50 pm to 4:56 pm.
  • 270-010 4:56 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 4:56 pm and 5:10 pm.

Conversation 270-003, August 3, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/270-003 (accessed September 18, 2026).