Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 278 › Conversation 278-050

Nixon & Kissinger on Economic policy and Military spending

Thursday, September 16, 1971 · 10:34 AM–10:48 AM ET · Old Executive Office Building · 1 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Kissinger, Henry A.Conversation278-050 on Tape 278 (tape position 02:10:04–02:11:34)StartThursday, September 16, 1971 at 10:34 AMEndThursday, September 16, 1971 at 10:48 AMRecording deviceOld Executive Office BuildingSourceNixon Library record for 278-050 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and Henry Kissinger discuss economic and military data intended to support administration foreign policy objectives. The President requests comparative statistics on Japan’s Gross National Product versus the rest of Asia, as well as a breakdown of the U.S. military budget relative to those of Europe and Japan. This information is sought to substantiate arguments regarding the distribution of global defense burdens and international financial contributions.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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I'm very proud to get this from Peterson's office, but I think your guys have been faster.
I think that my recollection, a couple years back, is that Japan, in terms of G&P, produces more than the rest of Asia combined.
including China, India, and Indonesia, et cetera.
And I'm confident that's the case, because I've watched two and a half times the period of China.
So it is obviously the rest of the United States.
But I just want to know whether that statement is relevant to the Director sending me over a note.
OK. Now, one other thing, another figure that you could have, which I don't want to bother you with these things, but I just kind of know you hate to call it.
The other one is this.
The amount of US military, in other words,
The U.S. military budget as compared to the military budget in the rest of the free world.
I guess pick major nations.
You know what I mean?
In other words, pick Europe and Japan.
Europe and Japan and the U.S. versus Europe and Japan.
Yeah, and it would be useful just in case you want to... Yeah.
You prefer it?
Well, either way.
Alright.

NARA Description

On September 16, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and Henry A. Kissinger met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 10:34 am and 10:48 am. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 278-050 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 278-50

Date: September 16, 1971
Time: Unknown between 10:34 am and 10:48 am
Location: Executive Office Building

The President talked with an unknown person [Henry A. Kissinger?].

     Foreign Policy
          -Peter G. Peterson's office
          -Japan

                  -Aid issue
                  -Gross National Product [GNP]
                        -Comparison to Asia
                        -The People's Republic of China [PRC]
                        -India
                        -Indonesia
             -US military budget
                  -Free world aid
                  -Europe
                  -Japan
                  -US
                  -Comparisons

Also recorded on September 16, 1971

  • 009-036 10:33 AM · 28 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield talked on the telephone from 10:33 am to 10:34 am.
  • 278-047 10:33 AM · 29 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 10:33 am to 10:34 am.
  • 009-037 10:34 AM · 8 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 10:34 am and 10:48 am.
  • 278-048 10:34 AM · 6 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Henry A. Kissinger met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 10:34 am and 10:48 am.
  • 278-049 10:34 AM · 8 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 10:34 am and 10:48 am.
  • 009-038 10:48 AM · 9 min — President Richard M. Nixon and F. Edward Hébert talked on the telephone from 10:48 am to 10:57 am.
  • 278-051 10:48 AM · 24 min — President Richard M. Nixon, F. Edward Hébert, and Henry A. Kissinger met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 10:48 am to 10:57 am.
  • 009-039 11:15 AM · 7 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 11:15 am and 11:48 am.

All 52 conversations from September 16, 1971 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 278-050, September 16, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/278-050 (accessed October 12, 2026).