President Nixon, Henry Kissinger, and H.R. Haldeman met to coordinate upcoming National Security Council (NSC) meetings, refine public relations strategies regarding Vietnam, and discuss ongoing tensions in the Middle East. The President expressed frustration with internal leaks and administrative friction between Henry Kissinger and Secretary of State William Rogers. Decisions were made to streamline briefing procedures for the NSC and to manage diplomatic messaging to the press and Congress regarding the Vietnam conflict.
On February 23, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon, Henry A. Kissinger, and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the Oval Office of the White House from 6:42 pm to 7:18 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 456-024 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding AidConversation No. 456-24
Date: February 23, 1971
Time: 6:42 pm - 7:18 pm
Location: Oval Office
The President met with Henry A. Kissinger
Vietnam
-General Alexander M. Haig, Jr. visit
-Melvin R. Laird
-General Nguyen Van Thieu
-General Creighton W. Abrams, Jr.
-Purpose
-Military situation
-Purpose
-Kissinger’s conversation with John Sherman Cooper
-Democrats
-Edward M. (“Ted”) Kennedy, Michael J. (“Mike”) Mansfield, and J. William
Fulbright
-Administration response
-Troop withdrawal
-General Do Cao Tri
-Successor
-Ellsworth F. Bunker’s message to Kissinger
-Laos Briefing
-E. Ross Adair
-Age
-Congressional service
-John B. Connally
-William P. Rogers
-John N. Mitchell
H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman entered at an unknown time after 6:42 pm
The President’s schedule
-National Security Council [NSC] meeting
-Timing
-Swearing-in ceremony
-Frank J. Shakespeare
-George H. W. Bush
-NSC meeting
Middle East
-Israeli/Arab talks
-Prospects
-Kissinger’s view
-Administration position
-Report to the President
-Middle East
-Laos
The President’s schedule
-NSC meeting
-Timing
State Department translator
-Lieutenant General Vernon A. Walters
-President’s view
-Possible position at White House
******************************************************************************
[Previous National Security (B) withdrawal reviewed under MDR guidelines case number
LPRN-T-MDR-2014-020. Segment declassified on 10/10/2018. Archivist: MM]
[National Security]
[456-024-w003]
[Duration: 1m 4s]
People's Republic of China [PRC] and US relations
-Chinese deputy foreign minister
-Conversation with Norwegian ambassador
-Possible meeting
-The President's role
-Camp David
-Chinese deputy foreign minister
-Conversation with Norwegian ambassador
-People's Republic of China [PRC] contacts with US
-Warsaw
-Alternatives
******************************************************************************
The President’s schedule
-William J. (“Jack”) Edwards
-William E. Timmons
-Public relations
-Administration policy on Vietnam
-Meetings with reporters
-Walter L. Cronkite, Jr., [Arnold] Eric Sevareid, John A. Scali, and John W.
Chancellor
-NSC meeting
-Briefings by Admiral Thomas H. Moorer
-Vietnam
-Briefing by Joseph J. Sisco
-Middle East
-Briefing by Richard M. Helms
-Laos
-Attendance
-Bush
-Connally
-Mitchell
-The Vice President
-Undersecretaries
-David Packard
-General John W. Vogt, Jr.
-Moorer
Kissinger left at 7:02 pm
******************************************************************************
[Previous PRMPA Personal Returnable (G) withdrawal reviewed under deed of gift 10/30/2019.
Segment cleared for release.]
[Personal Returnable]
[456-024-w004]
[Duration: 1m 22s]
1972 campaign
-The President's conversation with John N. Mitchell
-George C. Wallace
-Democratic votes
-Compared with Republican votes
-George C. Wallace health
-Effects on the President's candidacy
-John F. Kennedy and Harry S. Truman
******************************************************************************
The President’s conversation with Kissinger
-Middle East
******************************************************************************
[Previous National Security (B) withdrawal reviewed under MDR guidelines case number
LPRN-T-MDR-2014-020. Segment declassified on 10/10/2018. Archivist: MM]
[National Security]
[456-024-w005]
[Duration: 31s]
The President's conversation with Henry A. Kissinger
-Middle East
-Potential conflict
-Israel
-1967 lines
-Possible conversations with Henry A. Kissinger
******************************************************************************
Henry A, Kissinger
-Role in administration
-Foreign policy
-President’s position
-United States-Soviet Union relations
-President’s role
-Anatoliy F. Dobrynin
-The President’s role
-Workload
-Rogers
-Haldeman’s conversation with Rogers
-State Department leak
-Kissinger’s comments to press
-Gerard C. Smith
-Strategic Arms Limitation Talks [SALT] negotiations role
-President’s role
-Aleksei N. Kosygin
-Rogers
-Department of State
******************************************************************************
[Previous National Security (B) withdrawal reviewed under MDR guidelines case number
LPRN-T-MDR-2014-020. Segment partially declassified with 46s cleared for release and 3s
remains exempt as 456-024-w007 per Executive Order 13526, 3.3(b)(1) on 10/10/2018.
Archivist: MM]
[National Security]
[456-024-w007]
[Duration: 46s]
Middle East
-Henry A. Kissinger
-Potentially encouraging Israel
-The President’s role
-1972 election [?]
-US aid to Israel
-Arms package
******************************************************************************
BEGIN WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 7
[National Security]
[456-024-w007]
[Duration: 3s]
END WITHDRAWN ITEM NO. 7
******************************************************************************
Middle East
-US aid to Israel
-Henry A. Kissinger
******************************************************************************
Middle East
-Kissinger’s view
-Israel
-Compared to Vietnam
-Role
-Press briefings
-Meetings
-Middle East
-William L. Safire
-Laird
-Writing style
-Safire and Raymond K. Price, Jr.
Haldeman left at 7:18 pmThis transcript was generated automatically by AI and has not been reviewed for accuracy. Do not cite this transcript as authoritative. Consult the Finding Aid above for verified information.