Historian and author of The Flag Was Still There (PublicAffairs, 2026) | Professor @ecuhistorydept | former @HistoryAtState official. Views my own.
Washington, DC
Joined June 2019
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Great Q&A conversation about America's semi-centennial celebrations and what we can draw from them moving forward. Thanks @cspan for hosting!
#america250
Q&A with David McKean and @MToddBennett, co-authors of "The Flag Was Still There," look back at the 1776 founding and the four previous semi-centennial celebrations of America in 1826, 1876, 1926, and 1976 -8pm ET on C-SPAN c-span.org/event/qa/authors-…
M. Todd Bennett retweeted
TONIGHT: Q&A with David McKean and @MToddBennett, co-authors of "The Flag Was Still There," look back at the 1776 founding and the four previous semi-centennial celebrations of America in 1826, 1876, 1926, and 1976 -8pm ET on C-SPAN c-span.org/event/qa/authors-…
Looking forward to speaking with @aleliabundles tomorrow evening! Thanks @PoliticsProse for having me. Please join us at The Wharf at 7pm!
#america250
Wednesday (7/1), join David McKean & M. Todd Bennett for THE FLAG WAS STILL THERE: A History of the American Experiment in Five Anniversaries - w/A'Lelia Bundles - 7pm @ The Wharf: politics-prose.com/david-mck…
M. Todd Bennett retweeted
Ahead of July 4, these five books offer fresh perspectives on the ideas, conflicts, and debates that shaped—and continue to shape—America.
Which one are you adding to your TBR?
@NathanPR1 @MToddBennett @alexgrantwright
M. Todd Bennett retweeted
💥 Happy publication day to THE FLAG WAS STILL THERE!
Focusing on five years marked by both progress and backlash, David McKean and @MToddBennett explore how the United States has sustained its founding idea.
Order your copy: bit.ly/3OKqk3M
Though embarrassingly late to the party, I'm super excited that @NextBigIdeaClub has selected my book, The Flag Was Still There, as a must read! Thanks for the shout out! @BasicBooks @PublicAffairs @The_OAH #america250
AFTER THE FALL by Ian Shapiro and THE FLAG WAS STILL THERE by David McKean and @MToddBennett have been named May 2026 must-reads by the @NextBigIdeaClub!
See the full list: nextbigideaclub.com/magazine…
Life Moments — I’ve had some. But none quite compares to appearing on @TheUnXplained, the @HISTORY Channel series hosted by the one, the only…@WilliamShatner!
history.com/shows/the-unxpla…
Thanks for the opportunity! Had a blast!
#glomar
Glomar in the news! Thanks @NPR for the All Things Considered interview: npr.org/2024/04/04/124291179…
@ColumbiaUP @NEHgov @SHAFRhistorians @SocIntelHist
M. Todd Bennett retweeted
Your summer mission isn’t complete until you’ve seen the latest @MissionFilm, starring @TomCruise, and learned about the history of American espionage with one of these #NEHgrant-funded books by @MToddBennett, @Matt_A_Sutton or @USCDornsife Professor Steven J. Ross.
@HachetteUS
Great @NewBooksNetwork discussion with Stephen Satkiewicz about the Glomar response, the underwater Cold War and other topics. Listen to the podcast at: newbooksnetwork.com/neither-…
@ColumbiaUP
M. Todd Bennett retweeted
Actual billboard sponsored by University of Arizona school of humanities. Excellent. @uahumanities
Thanks @AFIO! Really enjoyed the opportunity to chat about my new Glomar book. The podcast version of the interview can be found on most major podcasting channels, including Google and Apple Podcasts. @SocIntelHist
New from AFIO Now: @MToddBennett discusses his latest book-"Neither Confirm nor Deny: How the Glomar Mission Shielded the CIA from Transparency"- about the secret mission using billionaire Howard Hughes's deep-sea mining vessel to retrieve a Soviet sub. youtube.com/watch?v=bi3eZ3rN…
Freedom of Information Day? Who knew? Looking forward to speaking @joynerlibrary this Thursday about the #Glomar response and how it impacts the right to know. Thanks @ecuhistorydept for co-hosting!
March 16 is freedom of information day and a fitting event is scheduled for March 16 in our Janice Harrison Faulkner Gallery at 4 p.m. We'll host a book release celebration featuring @MToddBennett from @ecuhistorydept 📖
See you March 16! More ⬇️fal.cn/3wtL8
Translation: Washington knows that Beijing knows that Washington occupies the high ground in this instance...and, boy, is Washington using it to advantage.
U.S. declassifies balloon intelligence, calls out China for spying washingtonpost.com/national-…
Thanks @ThatWasChatter for the great conversation with @shaneharris about all things Glomar, including how journalists weigh(ed) official security claims.
New Chatter! A sunken Soviet submarine. A secret CIA plan to lift it from the bottom of the ocean with a giant claw. And reclusive billionaire Howard Hughes. Hear the wild, improbable tale of the Glomar Explorer with @MToddBennett. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcas…
Enjoyed speaking with @shaneharris about all things Glomar. Thanks @ThatWasChatter for the opportunity!
New on Chatter:
The phrase “neither confirm nor deny” originates from attempts to uncover the facts of the amazing, secretive Glomar mission.
@shaneharris talks to @MToddBennett all about it here:
open.spotify.com/episode/3hJ…
This highlights an understudied aspect of intelligence history: imagination. Agencies are criticized (often correctly) when they display too much or too little. Oversight seeks the right balance, which is always shifting as circumstances dictate. nytimes.com/2023/02/01/us/po…
Do I wish the FBI had responded to my FOIA request before my book went to press? Yes. Am I looking forward to opening three disks of declassified docs on the event that blew Glomar's cover, the 1974 burglary of Howard Hughes's LA office? Also yes. Maybe we can solve the crime....
M. Todd Bennett retweeted
Biden admin is working on a new executive order on classification which would allow DOD (not State) to cite "harm to U.S. diplomacy" to withhold historic records. There is pushback from other agencies, but not a good look if one cares about history, #FOIA, or transparency.
A New Executive Order on Classification Should Not Expand DoD Authority to Censor Diplomatic Info, Biden’s Classified Docs Underscore Need for Reform, and More in this week's #FOIA and secrecy news round-up:
unredacted.com/2023/01/12/a-…
