--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'm not at liberty to discuss the…" description: "\"I'm not at liberty to discuss the governments knowledge of extraterrestrial UFO's at this time. I am still personally being briefed on the subject!\" — ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca3/richard-m-nixon-727_extraterrestrial_i-m-not-at-liberty-to-discuss-the-govern_655935.jpg" --- # I'm not at liberty to discuss the governments knowledge of… ![“I'm not at liberty to discuss the governments knowledge of extraterrestrial UFO's at this time. I am still personally being briefed on the subject!” quote by Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca3/richard-m-nixon-727_extraterrestrial_i-m-not-at-liberty-to-discuss-the-govern_655935.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca3/richard-m-nixon-727_extraterrestrial_i-m-not-at-liberty-to-discuss-the-govern_655935.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca3/richard-m-nixon-727_extraterrestrial_i-m-not-at-liberty-to-discuss-the-govern_655935.jpg) > “I'm not at liberty to discuss the governments knowledge of extraterrestrial UFO's at this time. I am still personally being briefed on the subject!” [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Denies current knowledge about extraterrestrial UFOs while hinting at ongoing briefings, suggesting secrecy. **In simple terms:** No comment on UFOs now; briefings continue. Key Takeaway Maintain confidentiality while staying informed. Themes government secrecy UFOs national security Mood cautious enigmatic Type political historical When to use this quote - policy making - media relations - scientific inquiry Key Concepts classified information public speculation Questions to Reflect On - What are the risks of withholding information? - How should governments balance transparency and security? A Different Perspective May fuel conspiracy theories. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Extraterrestrial](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/extraterrestrial/) [Extraterrestrial life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/extraterrestrial-life/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Liberty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liberty/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Space](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/space/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Ufo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ufo/) ## Related quotes > [In the firm belief that the American public deserves a better explanation than that thus far given by the Air Force, I strongly recommend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-r-ford/in-the-firm-belief-that-the-american-public-deserves-a-better/) [Gerald R. Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-r-ford/) > [The Federal government does not have any information about extraterrestrial life to conceal, and there are no secret projects for me to investigate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orrin-hatch/the-federal-government-does-not-have-any-information-about/) [Orrin Hatch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orrin-hatch/) > [The evidence that at least one extraterrestrial civilization has visited Earth is extensive both in scope and detail. In its totality it comprises a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-m-greer/the-evidence-that-at-least-one-extraterrestrial-civilization-has/) [Steven M. Greer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-m-greer/) > [Among the plausible niches for extraterrestrial life in our solar system, the clouds of Venus are among the most accessible and the least well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-grinspoon/among-the-plausible-niches-for-extraterrestrial-life-in-our-solar/) [David Grinspoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-grinspoon/) > [Discovering traces of life on Mars would be of tremendous scientific significance: The first time that any signs of extraterrestrial life had ever been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-bostrom/discovering-traces-of-life-on-mars-would-be-of-tremendous-scientific/) [Nick Bostrom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-bostrom/) > [It's only fashion that has said the pendulum has swung from extreme skepticism about extraterrestrial life to extreme credulity. The truth is somewhere in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-davies/it-s-only-fashion-that-has-said-the-pendulum-has-swung-from-extreme/) [Paul Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-davies/) > [“I'm frequently asked, "Do you believe there's extraterrestrial intelligence?" I give the standard arguments- there are a lot of places out there, the molecules…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/i-m-frequently-asked-do-you-believe-there-s-extraterrestrial/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [It is time for the truth to be brought out... Behind the scenes, high-ranking Air Force officers are soberly concerned about the UFOs. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roscoe-h-hillenkoetter/it-is-time-for-the-truth-to-be-brought-out-behind-the-scenes-high/) Roscoe H. Hillenkoetter > [Most visions of extraterrestrial life are actually steeped in human hubris. The fictional extraterrestrials of 'Star Trek' or a hundred other space operas are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-myhrvold/most-visions-of-extraterrestrial-life-are-actually-steeped-in-human/) [Nathan Myhrvold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-myhrvold/) > [Of course it is possible that UFO's really do contain aliens as many people believe, and the government is hushing it up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/of-course-it-is-possible-that-ufo-s-really-do-contain-aliens-as-many/) [Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/) > [“Well, what the fuck would an extraterrestrial life form want to come here for?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-haig/well-what-the-fuck-would-an-extraterrestrial-life-form-want-to-come/) [Matt Haig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-haig/) > [I'm of the opinion that it flies in the face of reason not to believe. The odds are too great against you to not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-de-lancie/i-m-of-the-opinion-that-it-flies-in-the-face-of-reason-not-to-believe/) [John de Lancie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-de-lancie/) > [The biggest breakthrough in the next 50 years will be the discovery of extraterrestrial life. We have been searching for it for 50 years…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freeman-dyson/the-biggest-breakthrough-in-the-next-50-years-will-be-the-discovery/) [Freeman Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freeman-dyson/) > [I've been asked about UFOs and I've said publicly I thought they were somebody else, some other civilization.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-cernan/i-ve-been-asked-about-ufos-and-i-ve-said-publicly-i-thought-they-were/) [Gene Cernan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-cernan/) > [I don't believe in a conspiracy to hide the existence of extraterrestrial life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-duchovny/i-don-t-believe-in-a-conspiracy-to-hide-the-existence-of/) [David Duchovny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-duchovny/) ## More by Richard M. Nixon > [I have never been a quitter. To leave office before my term is completed is opposed to every instinct in my body. But as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/i-have-never-been-a-quitter-to-leave-office-before-my-term-is/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [With those who are willing to join, let us cooperate to reduce the burden of arms, to strengthen the structure of peace, to lift…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/with-those-who-are-willing-to-join-let-us-cooperate-to-reduce-the/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [I have earned every cent. And in all of my years of public life I have never obstructed justice,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/i-have-earned-every-cent-and-in-all-of-my-years-of-public-life-i-have/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [Restoring nature to its natural state is a cause beyond party and beyond factions. It has become a common cause of all the people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/restoring-nature-to-its-natural-state-is-a-cause-beyond-party-and/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [What kind of nation we will be, what kind of world we will live in, whether we shape the future in the image of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/what-kind-of-nation-we-will-be-what-kind-of-world-we-will-live-in/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [Once you get into this great stream of history you can't get out. You can drown. Or you can be pulled ashore by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/once-you-get-into-this-great-stream-of-history-you-can-t-get-out-you/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [The ultimate test of a nation's character is not how it responds to adversity in war but how it meets the challenge of peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/the-ultimate-test-of-a-nation-s-character-is-not-how-it-responds-to/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [History is a pathetic junkyard of broken treaties.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/history-is-a-pathetic-junkyard-of-broken-treaties/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [I refuse to make a decision that somebody else can make. The first rule of leadership is to save yourself for the big decision.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/i-refuse-to-make-a-decision-that-somebody-else-can-make-the-first/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [Those who hate you don't win unless you hate them, and then you destroy yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/those-who-hate-you-don-t-win-unless-you-hate-them-and-then-you/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [I made my mistakes, but in all of my years in public life, I have never profited, never profited from public serviceI have earned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/i-made-my-mistakes-but-in-all-of-my-years-in-public-life-i-have-never/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [I know you heard what you thought I said, but what I said isn't what I meant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/i-know-you-heard-what-you-thought-i-said-but-what-i-said-isn-t-what-i/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [I want to be sure...that nothing is done on these veterans. Is that understood?...Is the word out? That they are not to touch em,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/i-want-to-be-sure-that-nothing-is-done-on-these-veterans-is-that/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [“Nations not possessing great power can indulge in the luxury of criticism of others; those possessing it have the responsibility of decision. Faced with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/nations-not-possessing-great-power-can-indulge-in-the-luxury-of/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [The peace we seek in the world is not the flimsy peace which is merely an interlude between wars, but a peace which can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/the-peace-we-seek-in-the-world-is-not-the-flimsy-peace-which-is/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) [Explore all 388 Richard M. Nixon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) ## More Extraterrestrial quotes > [Some pundits have proposed that the aliens have come here to breed with us. Apparently, too much bike riding or something similar has rendered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/some-pundits-have-proposed-that-the-aliens-have-come-here-to-breed/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) > [In a movie, it's often important to have aliens whose gestures and facial expressions can be 'read' by humans. And in the days before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/in-a-movie-it-s-often-important-to-have-aliens-whose-gestures-and/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) > [For all I know we may be visited by a different extraterrestrial civilization every second Tuesday, but there's no support for this appealing idea.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/for-all-i-know-we-may-be-visited-by-a-different-extraterrestrial/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [ I would do it \[study UFOs\], but before agreeing to do it, we must insist upon full access to discs recovered. For instance in… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-edgar-hoover/i-would-do-it-study-ufos-but-before-agreeing-to-do-it-we-must-insist/) [J. Edgar Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-edgar-hoover/) > [In the firm belief that the American public deserves a better explanation than that thus far given by the Air Force, I strongly recommend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-r-ford/in-the-firm-belief-that-the-american-public-deserves-a-better/) [Gerald R. Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-r-ford/) > [Human paleontology shares a peculiar trait with such disparate subjects as theology and extraterrestrial biology: it contains more practitioners than objects for study.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-pilbeam/human-paleontology-shares-a-peculiar-trait-with-such-disparate/) David Pilbeam > [A contact with an extraterrestrial civilization is the greatest challenge for mankind in the Third Millennium. We would finally realize that we are indeed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hesemann/a-contact-with-an-extraterrestrial-civilization-is-the-greatest/) Michael Hesemann > [In my official status, I cannot comment on ET contact. However, personally, I can assure you, we are not alone!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-camarda/in-my-official-status-i-cannot-comment-on-et-contact-however/) Charles Camarda > [“We are so used to the notion of our own inevitability as life’s dominant species that it is hard to grasp that we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-bryson/we-are-so-used-to-the-notion-of-our-own-inevitability-as-life-s/) [Bill Bryson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-bryson/) > [Clearly, unless thinking beings inevitably wipe themselves out soon after developing technology, extraterrestrial intelligence could often be millions or billions of years in advance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/clearly-unless-thinking-beings-inevitably-wipe-themselves-out-soon/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) > [With control of the universe at stake, a crash program is imperative.We produced the A-bomb, under the huge Manhattan Project, in an amazingly short…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-keyhoe/with-control-of-the-universe-at-stake-a-crash-program-is-imperative/) Donald Keyhoe > [I've been asked about UFOs and I've said publicly I thought they were somebody else, some other civilization.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-cernan/i-ve-been-asked-about-ufos-and-i-ve-said-publicly-i-thought-they-were/) [Gene Cernan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-cernan/) > [“What hand is holding the voting "trump card" that sold the peoples' souls? It starts with a knowledge of truth and the purpose that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracey-bond/what-hand-is-holding-the-voting-trump-card-that-sold-the-peoples/) [Tracey Bond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracey-bond/) > [We all know that UFOs are real. All we need to ask is where do they come from, and what do they want?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-mitchell/we-all-know-that-ufos-are-real-all-we-need-to-ask-is-where-do-they/) [Edgar Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-mitchell/) > [The evidence is overwhelming that Planet Earth is being visited by intelligently controlled extraterrestrial spacecraft. In other words, SOME UFOs are alien spacecraft. Most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanton-t-friedman/the-evidence-is-overwhelming-that-planet-earth-is-being-visited-by/) [Stanton T. Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanton-t-friedman/) [Browse all 117 Extraterrestrial quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/extraterrestrial/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I'm not at liberty to discuss the governments knowledge of extraterrestrial UFO's at this time. I am still personally being briefed on the subject!", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Richard M. Nixon" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/i-m-not-at-liberty-to-discuss-the-governments-knowledge-of/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Extraterrestrial" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/i-m-not-at-liberty-to-discuss-the-governments-knowledge-of/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca3/richard-m-nixon-727_extraterrestrial_i-m-not-at-liberty-to-discuss-the-govern_655935.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca3/richard-m-nixon-727_extraterrestrial_i-m-not-at-liberty-to-discuss-the-govern_655935.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca3/richard-m-nixon-727_extraterrestrial_i-m-not-at-liberty-to-discuss-the-govern_655935.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I'm not at liberty to discuss the governments knowledge of extraterrestrial UFO's at this time. I am still…” — Richard M. Nixon", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Richard M. Nixon", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I'm not at liberty to discuss...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/i-m-not-at-liberty-to-discuss-the-governments-knowledge-of/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/i-m-not-at-liberty-to-discuss-the-governments-knowledge-of/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```