UFO files spanning decades are released by Defense Department

"The Pentagon released more than 160 records, citing President Trump's call for unprecedented transparency in giving the public access to federal and military records related to unexplained encounters with strange phenomena. President Trump said via Truth Social that with the documents and other records available to the public, "the people can decide for themselves, 'WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?' Have Fun and Enjoy!" The records are posted to a specialized web portal, war.gov/info, which will house additional files as they're released on a rolling basis."

"One document cites unusual phenomena arising during the debriefing of the Apollo 11 technical crew in July of 1969, attributing three observations to astronaut Buzz Aldrin, from that lunar mission: "one, an object on the way out to the Moon; two, flashes of light inside the cabin; and three, a sighting on the return trip of a bright light tentatively assumed by the crew to be a laser.""

"One of the oldest files dates from November 1948. The report from the U.S. Air Force Directorate of Intelligence is marked Top Secret, and it notes recurring instances of unidentified objects spotted in the skies over Europe. "They have been reported by so many sources and from such a v"

The Department of Defense released over 160 records about unidentified anomalous phenomena, using the military term UAP. The release follows a call for unprecedented transparency and provides public access through a specialized portal, with additional files planned on a rolling basis. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said long-classified files have fueled speculation and should be seen by the public. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard said the effort will continue through ongoing declassification and release. The materials include an Apollo 11-related document describing observations attributed to Buzz Aldrin during a July 1969 debriefing, including an object on the way to the Moon, flashes inside the cabin, and a bright light on the return trip tentatively assumed to be a laser. An older Top Secret Air Force intelligence report from November 1948 describes recurring unidentified objects reported over Europe.

Read at www.npr.org