Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 287 › Conversation 287-023
Nixon & Haldeman on China visit and Foreign policy
Monday, October 11, 1971 · 5:50 PM–5:55 PM ET · Old Executive Office Building · 3 min
AI Summary
President Nixon and H. R. Haldeman met to review the President's upcoming schedule and coordinate logistics for the administration's historic trip to the People's Republic of China. The discussion focused on managing media coverage and ensuring effective communication regarding the delegation's secret service and support staff requirements. Nixon emphasized the necessity of prioritizing the China summit, tasking Haldeman with ensuring that preparations—particularly regarding press strategy—were executed precisely to maximize favorable visibility.
Audio
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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.
Download transcript (.txt) · JSON data
Each line starts with a timestamp button; press it to play the audio from that point.
NARA Description
On October 11, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 5:50 pm and 5:55 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 287-023 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 287-23
Date: October 11, 1971
Time: Unknown between 5:50 pm and 5:55 pm
Location: Executive Office Building
The President talked with H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman.
The President's schedule
-Henry A. Kissinger
-George P. Shultz
-Unnamed person
-Previous meeting with the President
-Pakistan Ambassador
President’s forthcoming trip to the People’s Republic of China [PRC]
-US support staff
-Communications
-Secret Service
-Kissinger
-Purpose of meeting
-PressAlso recorded on October 11, 1971
- 011-043 5:43 PM · 16 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 5:43 pm.
- 287-022 5:50 PM · 11 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 5:50 pm and 5:55 pm.
- 287-024 5:50 PM · 53 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 5:50 pm and 5:56 pm.
- 011-045 5:55 PM · 45 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Thelma C. ("Pat") (Ryan) Nixon talked on the telephone from 5:55 pm to 5:56 pm.
- 287-025 5:55 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Thelma C. ("Pat") (Ryan) Nixon met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 5:55 pm to 5:56 pm.
- 011-046 5:56 PM · 7 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 5:56 pm and 9:26 pm.
- 287-026 5:56 PM · 6 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Ronald L. Ziegler met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 5:56 pm and 6:00 pm.
- 287-027 5:56 PM · 57 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 5:56 pm and 6:00 pm.
Cite this conversation
Conversation 287-023, October 11, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/287-023 (accessed October 11, 2026).