Pentagon releases first batch of previously secret files documenting reports of UFOs

"The Pentagon on Friday released an initial group of previously secret files documenting reports of UFOs a move sought for decades by some. These files, hidden behind classifications, have long fueled justified speculation and it's time the American people see it for themselves, Pete Hegseth, the defense secretary, said in a statement posted on X. The release follows a directive from Donald Trump in February for federal agencies to begin identifying, declassifying and releasing government files related to unidentified flying objects, now known as unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAPs), and the possibility of alien life beyond Earth."

"The move, the US president said at the time, was based on the tremendous interest shown by the public, and reflected renewed appetite for information about the government's knowledge of, and perceived involvement in, programs tracking and even housing supposed aliens and their spacecraft. Last month Jared Isaacman, the new Nasa administrator, gave the drive for greater transparency at the agency more credence by stating the space agency planned missions to space at least in part because of the possible existence of extraterrestrial alien lifeforms. The odds that we will find something at some point to suggest that we are not alone are pretty high, he told NBC's Meet the Press."

"Even so, the first batch of 162 files released on Friday, incorporating hundreds of pages on a monochrome new defense department website, offered little new or conclusive evidence. The public, the Pentagon statement said, can ultimately make up their own minds about the information contained in these files. They include old state department cables, FBI documents and transcripts from Nasa's crewed flights into space, the Associated Press reported. Other pages, stretching back decades, feature ambiguous eyewitness accounts of encounters with, or alleged sightings of UFOs."

The Pentagon released an initial set of previously classified files containing reports of UFOs, now referred to as unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAPs). The release followed a February directive from Donald Trump for federal agencies to identify, declassify, and release government records related to UAPs and the possibility of alien life beyond Earth. The directive cited strong public interest in what the government knows about programs tracking UAPs and any alleged involvement with extraterrestrial beings. NASA leadership also supported greater transparency, including missions partly motivated by the possible existence of alien life. The first batch of 162 files includes hundreds of pages and includes state department cables, FBI documents, and transcripts from NASA crewed flights, along with decades-old ambiguous eyewitness accounts. The Pentagon said the public can decide what the records mean, and the initial release offered limited new or conclusive evidence.

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