Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 911 › Conversation 911-012

Nixon & Kissinger on White House Staffing and Alexander M. Haig Jr.

Thursday, May 3, 1973 · 10:21 AM–10:30 AM ET · Oval Office · 4 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Kissinger, Henry A.Conversation911-012 on Tape 911StartThursday, May 3, 1973 at 10:21 AMEndThursday, May 3, 1973 at 10:30 AMRecording deviceOval OfficeSourceNixon Library record for 911-012 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and Henry Kissinger met to discuss urgent personnel restructuring within the White House, specifically focusing on the appointment of a new Chief of Staff and the potential role of Alexander M. Haig, Jr. They evaluated the necessity of balancing domestic responsibilities against foreign policy demands while ensuring a smooth transition for these administrative changes. Additionally, the President reviewed his recent meeting with David K. E. Bruce, emphasizing the importance of maintaining secure communication channels and minimizing bureaucratic interference from the State Department.

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 Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Well, I don't know what to say.

I'm going to talk.

And I have to find, I don't have to find a long period.

I've got a lot of, I'll do some thinking.

I might have somebody a week.

But I got to get somebody trained, too.

You know what I mean?

Egg was trying to step in and things.

Well, egg would be, we'd just get a little bit to happen every year.

And that's it.

Yeah.

Well, you know, the point is, Al will do that now.

The main point is, I want to assure you that on the international thing, you and I right now, you see, that's, that's, see, I just got to get somebody that's a curious thing that can handle that so that you and I can do the other, see.

What did you tell them?

Tell me this, uh, how could, uh, how physically did he work out such a thing?

I just, uh, give him... Go ahead.

Yes, I just asked him for, uh, two weeks.

Yeah.

Right.

Yeah.

Why don't I just say 30 days?

Well, I'll tell you, will you, uh, or shall I tell him to work on the piece of paper that I sent the secretary?

That's... Give him a while.

All right.

Good deal, Henry.

Well, that's all from Walker.

You and that, uh, I appreciate you being such a good team player.

Now, now, we'll get over it.

Yes, sir.

Uh, Bruce was, was very good.

Very good talking to me.

He just, he just stayed with it.

Ha, ha, ha.

I said, normally on your visits, he said, they're reporting me after your visit, so I said, can you come in and pick me up?

And of course, I said, normally, I said, you always meddle, but I said, in his case, I'm sure that you would probably want him.

I think that is important, and he said, I said, you understand, David, you know, I said, it's cannot be channeled.

He said, oh, he said, I know the State Department since the last three weeks through, and he's like, this is it.

He said, I'm going to use that channel.

So, but you see what I mean?

So, I am assuring that when you went over, you would, you know, you would always want

NARA Description

On May 3, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and Henry A. Kissinger met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 10:21 am and 10:30 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 911-012 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 911-12

Date: May 3, 1973
Time: Unknown between 10:21 am and 10:30 am
Location: Oval Office

The President talked with Henry A. Kissinger.

       President’s meeting with Dr. David K. E. Bruce

       White House staff
             -[Chief of Staff] appointment
             -Spiro T. Agnew and Kenneth R. Cole, Jr.
                    -[Domestic Council]
             -Alexander M. Haig, Jr.’s possible appointment
                    -[Chief of Staff]
                    -Responsibility
                    -[Domestic issues]
                                             -21-

                  NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                                           Conversation No. 911-33 (cont’d)

                            -Compared to foreign policy
                                   -President, Kissinger
                    -Duration
                    -Notification
                            -Defense Department

      President’s meeting with Bruce
             -Bruce’s role
                    -Kissinger’s briefings
                            -Moscow visit
                                   -Peking
                    -State Department
                            -Leaks
                            -Channel

Also recorded on May 3, 1973

045-156 10:12 AM · 13 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 10:12 am and 10:13 am.
911-010 10:12 AM · 9 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 10:12 am and 10:13 am.
045-157 10:13 AM · 8 min — President Richard M. Nixon and William P. Rogers talked on the telephone from 10:13 am to 10:21 am.
911-011 10:13 AM · 8 min — President Richard M. Nixon and William P. Rogers met in the Oval Office of the White House from 10:13 am to 10:21 am.
911-013 10:21 AM · 20 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 10:21 am and 10:30 am.
911-014 10:21 AM · 36 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 10:21 am and 10:30 am.
911-015 10:21 AM · 9 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 10:21 am and 10:30 am.
911-016 10:30 AM · 30 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Ronald L. Ziegler, and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House from 10:30 am to 11:01 am.

All 42 conversations from May 3, 1973 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 911-012, May 3, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/911-012 (accessed October 5, 2026).