Origins of "we can neither confirm nor deny"

The phrase "we can neither confirm nor deny" originated from a CIA response to a FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) request about the covert operation to recover a Soviet submarine using the Hughes Glomar Explorer in the 1970s.

 This response, now known as a "Glomar response," was used to avoid officially acknowledging classified projects, even if details had already leaked.

Hughes Glomar Explorer Ship
Submitted: 26-12-2024
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