3I/ATLAS: CIA's 'neither confirm nor deny' reply prompts comment from Avi Loeb

The CIA told a FOIA requester it can neither confirm nor deny the existence of records about the interstellar object 3I/ATLAS, and Harvard astrophysicist Avi Loeb has publicly questioned that response while noting NASA has called the object a natural comet.

The CIA responded to a Freedom of Information Act request by saying it can "neither confirm nor deny" the existence of records related to 3I/ATLAS and cited Executive Order 13526 and statutory protections. 3I/ATLAS was discovered by the ATLAS survey on July 1, 2025, and has been followed by several observatories since it passed perihelion on October 29. NASA officials said at a November 19, 2025 press conference that the object is a comet of natural origin. Harvard astrophysicist Avi Loeb, who has documented a list of anomalies in the object, wrote on Medium that he found the CIA response surprising and interpreted it as a way to keep certain investigations out of public view. Key points: - 3I/ATLAS was discovered by ATLAS on July 1, 2025, and is reported as the third recorded interstellar interloper. - The object passed perihelion on October 29 and flew past Earth at about 1.8 AU on December 19. - NASA stated at a November 19, 2025 press conference that 3I/ATLAS is a comet of natural origin. - The CIA told a FOIA requester it can neither confirm nor deny the existence of records under Section 3.6(a) of Executive Order 13526 and cited classified protections, including provisions of the CIA Act. - Avi Loeb has flagged multiple anomalies in 3I/ATLAS and wrote that the CIA wording was surprising, suggesting it could be used to keep an investigation of a low-probability, high-impact event from public view. Summary: The CIA's response has added to public attention and differing interpretations about 3I/ATLAS, given NASA's public statement that the object is natural and some scientists' continued questions about anomalies. Undetermined at this time.