WASHINGTON (AP) — The Pentagon has started to release new files on UFOs, encouraging the public to form their own opinions about “unidentified anomalous phenomena.”
In addition to the Pentagon, the initiative is spearheaded by the White House, the director of national intelligence, the Energy Department, NASA, and the FBI.
In a post on X on Friday, the Pentagon stated that while previous administrations tried to undermine or discourage the American public, President Donald Trump prioritizes maximum transparency, allowing individuals to draw their own conclusions from the information in these files. Additional documents are set to be released progressively.
Trump, a Republican, has been hinting at this announcement since February. He has previously disclosed records related to the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy, Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, and Martin Luther King Jr., which did not significantly expand public knowledge.
For years, the Pentagon has been working on declassifying documents related to UFOs, and in 2022, Congress established an office dedicated to this task. Its 2024 initial report highlighted hundreds of new UAP incidents but found no confirmation of alien technology sightings by the U.S. government.
In 2022, Congress directed the Pentagon to release decades of UFO sighting files as military personnel shared experiences with unexplained aircraft.
A group of Republicans in Congress has been advocating for more transparency, accusing the Pentagon of withholding documents. In March, Rep. Anna Paulina Luna sent a letter demanding the release of 46 UAP videos identified by whistleblowers. On Friday, Luna mentioned on social media that these videos are anticipated to be part of a future Pentagon release.
Rep. Tim Burchett expressed gratitude to Trump for “keeping his word” on transparency and disclosure.
“I would like to remind people that transparency won’t all happen at once, it will take some time,” Burchett stated.
Experts have advised caution regarding the release of the new files, warning that UAP videos can often be misinterpreted and mischaracterized, especially by those unfamiliar with advanced military technology. The Pentagon’s 2024 report dismissed claims that the U.S. government has recovered alien technology or confirmed the existence of alien life.
