Nixon White House Tapes ›Tape 725 › Conversation 725-042

United States Secret Service agents on Vietnam War and Yugoslavia

Tuesday, May 16, 1972 · 1:01 PM–4:58 PM ET · Oval Office

ParticipantsUnited States Secret Service agentsConversation725-042 onTape 725 (tape position 04:11:20–04:17:57)StartTuesday, May 16, 1972 at 1:01 PMEndTuesday, May 16, 1972 at 4:58 PMRecording deviceOval OfficeSourceNixon Library record for 725-042 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon met with representatives—misidentified in the archival metadata as Secret Service agents—to discuss international diplomacy, specifically regarding the Vietnam War and relations with Yugoslavia. The discussion touched upon the potential for peace talks in Paris and the importance of establishing productive diplomatic foundations with the Soviet Union. The meeting concluded with a cordial exchange concerning humanitarian cooperation, including assistance in combating a smallpox outbreak in Chicago.

Audio

Download MP3 (part 1) · 167.3 MB ·Download MP3 (part 2) · 168.1 MB ·Download MP3 (part 3) · 100.2 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 04:11:20 into the tape and ends around 04:17:57.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.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

4:11:07We have to get this war out of the way.
4:11:09And then we can go on to other things.
4:11:18in the recent days, President Ito has made a government to what is up to a small independent country to contribute also, bringing together some efforts of non-aligned countries contributing to what is up to them, to the solution, peaceful solution in Vietnam.
4:11:39And they are sure that talks in Paris could be successful.
4:11:45Not this time, but this time.
4:11:48Mr.
4:11:48Ambassador, that may be the case whenever we both return.
4:11:53But you know, just talking without getting any results.
4:11:57Whenever we're convinced that the other side wants to really talk, we're ready.
4:12:02But they have to, you know, we've been talking for three years, and it doesn't do any good.
4:12:09But now the time has come to either talk or ask.
4:12:11So we have some goals.
4:12:14I think I've got some goals.
4:12:18We are approaching, the world is approaching, to find those possibilities.
4:12:27We also need to find some acceptable solutions.
4:12:29He understood very well what are also pure practices and requests.
4:12:36And also, you know,
4:12:38We are also hopeful that we would have better relations with the Soviet Union on the same base of principles, but because we're a pure country, and our standpoints and relations between the United States and the United States
4:12:59statement.
4:13:01The only basis for our relations in our countries, and that is also the basis of our relations with Saudi Arabia.
4:13:16And therefore, your words about Yugoslavia, it's a statement to the nation.
4:13:21Yes, yes.
4:13:22And that the address and the government of the people paid quite a respect to.
4:13:28I'm happy for such declarations.
4:13:29After last visit, our relations improved very well.
4:13:39It's good, I mean.
4:13:40It's good.
4:13:41It's good.
4:13:43I know we have a few little things.
4:13:51to express our gratitude to very efficace and help in fighting against smallpox in Chicago.
4:14:01Oh, I'm glad to hear that.
4:14:03And just today it was an election for America.
4:14:08Are you doctors?
4:14:09Yes, yes.
4:14:11That's all right.
4:14:14This is the bill.
4:14:15Well, I appreciate it.
4:14:16I'll drop the president a note.
4:14:19Thank you for it.
4:14:22Yes.
4:14:22So this is, as a matter of fact, a joint venture.
4:14:25It was a cameraman and an information agency.
4:14:32There are some very good folks in the White House and Washington, D.C.
4:14:39So, we're glad to have you.
4:14:42May I wish you all the best success in your trip and your efforts.
4:14:44We're glad to be here.
4:14:45Thank you.
4:14:46We're glad to be here.
4:14:47We're a patient independence.
4:14:48We're all partners.
4:14:49And our president will be honest, very much interested in suggestions or mentions.
4:15:01Good luck.
4:15:01Thank you very much.
4:15:33Looks like you're okay, pal.
4:15:34Are you okay, Nick?
4:15:34Yeah, I just lost one of you over here.

NARA Description

On May 16, 1972, United States Secret Service agents met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 1:01 pm and 4:58 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 725-042 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 725-42

Date: May 16, 1972
Time: Unknown between 1:01 pm and 4:58 pm
Location: Oval Office

Unknown persons [Secret Service] talked.

     The President’s location
          -Old Executive Office Building [EOB]

Also recorded on May 16, 1972

  • 725-041 12:45 PM · 49 sec — John D. Ehrlichman and Ronald L. Ziegler met in the Oval Office of the White House at 12:45 pm.
  • 725-032 12:46 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon, John D. Ehrlichman, and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:46 pm to 12:49 pm.
  • 725-033 12:49 PM · 5 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Knayet Karim, Samuel Hoskinson, and White House photographer met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:49 pm to 12:53 pm.
  • 725-034 12:54 PM · 9 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Toma Granfil, Helmut ("Hal") Sonnenfeldt, and White House photographer met in the Oval Office of the White House from 12:54 pm to 1:01 pm.
  • 340-001 1:12 PM · 21 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 1:12 pm to 1:13 pm.
  • 340-002 1:13 PM · 4 min — President Richard M. Nixon, unknown person(s), and Zosimo T. Monzon met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 1:13 pm and 1:19 pm.
  • 340-003 1:19 PM · 48 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander P. Butterfield met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 1:19 pm to 1:20 pm.
  • 024-151 1:20 PM · 0 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at 1:20 pm.

All 113 conversations from May 16, 1972 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 725-042, May 16, 1972. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/725-042 (accessed September 18, 2026).