Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 440 › Conversation 440-035

Nixon & Kissinger on National Security and Public Relations

Thursday, May 24, 1973 · 1:27 PM–1:29 PM ET · Old Executive Office Building · 1 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Kissinger, Henry A.Conversation440-035 on Tape 440StartThursday, May 24, 1973 at 1:27 PMEndThursday, May 24, 1973 at 1:29 PMRecording deviceOld Executive Office BuildingSourceNixon Library record for 440-035 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and Henry Kissinger discuss the need to maintain morale following the public disclosure of national security information. Nixon emphasizes the necessity of the recent decision to release the material despite the political sensitivity. They agree to postpone a more detailed discussion regarding upcoming summer messaging and the status of their diplomatic progress until a later time.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Oh, good.
Oh, fine, fine.
And on breathing, I would hope on Tuesday, I think it would be very helpful.
Yes.
Well, and also the upcoming summer.
Yeah, definitely.
and say that we've made progress, but that we can't amount to anything.
I think it would be very helpful, you know, but we can talk about it later.
All right, all right.
Now, don't get back to Washington and let your morale get down.
We had to do it.
We had to put this national security issue out there very long.

NARA Description

On May 24, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and Henry A. Kissinger met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 1:27 pm to 1:29 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 440-035 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 440-35

Date: May 24, 1973
Time: 1:27 pm - 1:29 pm
Location: Old Executive Office Building

The President talked with Henry A. Kissinger.

[See Conversation No. 39-1]

Also recorded on May 24, 1973

  • 039-001 1:27 PM · 2 min — White House operator, President Richard M. Nixon, and Henry A. Kissinger talked on the telephone from 1:27 pm to 1:29 pm.
  • 440-034 1:27 PM · 18 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at 1:27 pm.
  • 039-002 1:34 PM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator talked on the telephone at 1:34 pm.
  • 039-003 1:34 PM · 12 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 1:34 pm and 1:36 pm.
  • 440-036 1:34 PM · 9 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at 1:34 pm.
  • 440-037 1:34 PM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 1:34 pm and 1:36 pm.
  • 039-004 1:36 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Hugh Scott talked on the telephone from 1:36 pm to 1:38 pm.
  • 440-038 1:36 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Hugh Scott met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 1:36 pm to 1:38 pm.

All 40 conversations from May 24, 1973 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 440-035, May 24, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/440-035 (accessed October 14, 2026).