Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 345 › Conversation 345-019

Nixon & Kissinger on SALT ratification and Vietnam War

Thursday, June 29, 1972 · 6:25 PM ET · Old Executive Office Building

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Kissinger, Henry A.Conversation345-019 on Tape 345 (tape position 02:06:15–02:16:45)StartThursday, June 29, 1972 at 6:25 PMEndThursday, June 29, 1972 at 6:25 PMRecording deviceOld Executive Office BuildingSourceNixon Library record for 345-019 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and Henry Kissinger met to discuss the legislative hurdles facing the ratification of the Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty (SALT), specifically addressing concerns from political critics like Senators Buckley and Goldwater. The conversation also touched upon the 1972 presidential campaign, the impact of the defense budget, and potential negotiating strategies regarding Vietnam. They focused on refining policy stances for an upcoming press conference, particularly concerning ceasefire conditions and the release of American prisoners of war.

Audio

Download MP3 (part 1) · 112.1 MB ·Download MP3 (part 2) · 29.2 MB

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 02:06:15 into the tape and ends around 02:16:45.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.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

· Timestamps are positions within the full tape recording.
2:09:08I think we just ignore that pretty much.
2:09:22You've got to expect a few votes against it.
2:09:28You didn't get colored.
2:09:38Rwy'n meddwl bod hynny'n bwysig iawn.
2:09:49Mae hynny'n bwysig iawn.
2:09:51Rwy'n meddwl bod hynny'n bwysig iawn.
2:10:03Mae'n rhaid i ni ddod i'r rhaglenni ar gyfer hynny.
2:10:08Mae'n rhaid i ni ddod i'r rhaglenni ar gyfer hynny.
2:10:14Mae'n rhaid i ni ddod i'r rhaglenni ar gyfer hynny.
2:10:20Mae'n rhaid i ni ddod i'r rhaglenni ar gyfer hynny.
2:10:28Byddai nhw'n cynnig, dwi ddim yn gwybod, misoedd sy'n seiliedig ar ddaear.
2:10:33Byddai nhw wedi mynd ymlaen.
2:10:35Byddai nhw'n gallu cynhyrchu 250 mlynedd.
2:10:38250 mlynedd?
2:10:401,000 mwy o misoedd sy'n seiliedig ar ddaear.
2:10:45Wrth gwrs, gall y bobl ddim eisiau gwneud hynny o unrhyw fath.
2:10:48O, mae hynny'n iawn.
2:10:49Mae hynny'n iawn.
2:10:50Mae hynny'n iawn.
2:10:51Mae hynny'n iawn.
2:10:52Ond os nad ydyn nhw eisiau gwneud hynny, mae hynny'n bwysig yn fwy.
2:10:55Beth ydyn nhw eisiau ei wneud?
2:10:56Rhywbeth.
2:10:56Rhywbeth nad ydyn ni
2:11:03Dwi'n teimlo bod hynny'n rhywbeth sy'n rhywbeth sy'n rhywbeth sy'n rhywbeth sy'n rhywbeth sy'n
2:11:31Rydyn ni'n gwybod nad yw'r duws yn ategu'r cyfnod ei hun.
2:11:34Maen nhw'n ategu.
2:11:34Mae'r leiaf wedi'u cysylltu â'r cyfnod.
2:11:35Ydych chi'n gweld beth mae'r Stafod yn ei ddweud?
2:11:37Mae'r Stafod yn ei ddweud?
2:11:37Mae'r Stafod yn ei ddweud?
2:11:45Mae'r Stafod yn ei ddweud?
2:11:46Mae'r Stafod yn ei ddweud?
2:11:49Mae'r Stafod yn ei ddweud?
2:11:51Mae'r Stafod yn ei ddweud?
2:11:52Mae'r Stafod yn ei ddweud?
2:11:53Mae'r Stafod yn ei ddweud?
2:11:55Mae'r Stafod yn ei ddweud?
2:11:56Mae'r Stafod yn ei ddweud?
2:11:57Mae'r Stafod yn ei dd
2:11:59Wel, nid wyf yn ymwneud â hynny, ond nid wyf yn ymwneud â'r pethau hynny.
2:12:03Mae hynny'n dangos iddo fod yn rhywbeth sy'n rhywbeth sy'n rhywbeth sy'n rhywbeth sy'n rhywbeth sy'n rhywbeth sy'n rhywbeth sy'n rhywbeth sy'n rhywbeth sy'n rhywbeth sy'n rhywbeth sy'n rhywbeth sy'n rhywbeth sy'n rhywbeth sy'n rhywbeth sy'n rhywbeth sy'n rhywbeth sy'n rhywbeth sy'n rhywbeth sy'n rhywbeth sy'n rhywbeth sy'n rhywbeth sy'n rhywbeth sy'n rhywbeth
2:12:24Mae'r rhai hyn ddim yn gwneud pethau oherwydd maen nhw wedi llwyddo.
2:12:28Maen nhw ddim yn gwneud pethau oherwydd rydych chi'n gofyn, maen nhw'n gwneud pethau oherwydd... Yn enwedig, rydyn ni'n cyflawni iddyn nhw, ac maen nhw'n cael rhywbeth y maen nhw eisiau ei gyflawni o'n hun.
2:12:43Dwi'n dweud wrthych chi, mae'r gwleidyddion yn gwneud hynny.
2:12:56Mae hynny'n dda.
2:13:00Mae hynny'n dda.
2:13:02Mae hynny'n dda.
2:13:23Wrth gwrs, yr hyn y byddan nhw'n ei ddweud nawr yw bod gennym ni amser i ddod â'r cyllideb.
2:13:32Wel, nid oes.
2:13:33Nid oes.
2:13:33Nid oes.
2:13:34Nid oes.
2:13:35Nid oes.
2:13:36Nid oes.
2:13:37Nid oes.
2:13:38Nid oes.
2:13:39Nid oes.
2:13:39Nid oes.
2:13:39Nid oes.
2:13:41Nid oes.
2:13:42Nid oes.
2:13:43Nid oes.
2:13:43Nid oes.
2:13:44Nid oes.
2:13:45Nid oes.
2:13:45Nid oes.
2:13:47Nid oes.
2:13:48Nid oes.
2:13:48Nid oes.
2:13:53Rydyn ni ddim yn gwneud hynny.
2:14:01Rydyn ni ddim yn gwneud hynny.
2:14:04Rydyn ni ddim yn gwneud hynny.
2:14:06Rydyn ni ddim yn gwneud hynny.
2:14:10Rydyn ni ddim yn gwneud hynny.
2:14:14Rydyn ni ddim yn gwneud hynny.
2:14:21Rwy'n credu ein bod ni'n gallu cael hynny ar gyfer y prifysgolion.
2:14:24Yn ymddiriedolwch y cwestiwn sy'n dod, a fyddwch chi'n stopio'r rhain cyn i chi gael y prifysgolion yn ôl?
2:14:28Dydw i ddim yn meddwl y byddwn yn dweud ie.
2:14:32Dydw i ddim yn meddwl.
2:14:33Ar hyn o bryd, byddwn yn dweud ne.
2:14:35Byddwn yn dweud ne.
2:14:35Yn ymwneud â hynny, byddwn yn dweud ne, ond byddwn yn dweud y byddwn yn dweud y byddwn yn dweud yn ymwneud â hynny.
2:14:40Yn ymwneud â hynny, byddwn yn dweud ne, ond byddwn yn dweud yn
2:14:45Mae'n dda iawn.
2:14:47Iawn.

NARA Description

On June 29, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and Henry A. Kissinger met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at 6:25 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 345-019 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 345-19

Date: June 29, 1972
Time: 6:25 pm
Location: Executive Office Building

The President met with Henry Kissinger at 6:25 pm

     Strategic Arms and Limitation Treaty [SALT] ratification
           -James L. Buckley
           -Barry M. Goldwater
           -Effects of non-ratification
                 -Anti-ballistic missiles [ABM]
                 -Submarines
                 -Missiles
           -Critics
                 -Senators
                 -Melvin R. Laird
                       -Defense budget

     1972 campaign
          -George S. Mcgovern's statement
               -May 8, 1972 decision
               -Chou En-lai
               -Leonid I. Brezhnev

     Foreign relations
          -South Vietnam

     Alexander M. Haig, Jr.

     Vietnam negotiations
          -Preparations for forthcoming press conference
               -Ceasefire without prisoners of war [POWs] release
                     -US options

                      -Bombing
                          -Duration

Kissinger left at 6:32 pm.

Also recorded on June 29, 1972

  • 345-013 4:35 PM · 10 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 4:35 pm and 5:55 pm.
  • 345-015 5:55 PM · 5 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Patrick J. Buchanan, and unknown person(s) met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 5:55 pm to 6:00 pm.
  • 345-016 6:00 PM · 43 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 6:00 pm and 6:25 pm.
  • 345-017 6:00 PM · 3 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 6:00 pm and 6:25 pm.
  • 345-018 6:00 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 6:00 pm and 6:25 pm.
  • 345-020 6:54 PM · 6 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and David C. Hoopes met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 6:54 pm to 6:55 pm.
  • 345-021 6:55 PM · 9 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 6:55 pm and 8:27 pm.
  • 345-022 6:55 PM · 28 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 6:55 pm and 8:27 pm.

All 60 conversations from June 29, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 345-019, June 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/345-019 (accessed September 30, 2026).