In February 2023, CIA records released under FOIA confirmed what researchers had long suspected: Donald Menzel, the Harvard astronomer and arch-skeptic who wrote three popular books debunking UFOs, was simultaneously operating as a cleared CIA consultant.
The documents included correspondence between Menzel and CIA officers dating from 1952 to 1968. The correspondence confirmed that Menzel held a Top Secret clearance and had been actively consulted by the agency on strategies for managing public perception of the UFO phenomenon.
In one 1953 memo, Menzel was explicitly thanked for his "invaluable assistance" in preparing materials for the Robertson Panel — the CIA-sponsored scientific committee that recommended a public education campaign to reduce interest in UFOs.
Researchers have long noted that Menzel's three books made repeated methodological errors that a scientist of his caliber should have caught. His proposed explanations for well-documented cases were often demonstrably incompatible with the available data. The CIA connection suggested his public role was not purely scientific.