Nearly a month after President Donald Trump said his administration would release “very interesting” information on unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP), the Pentagon on May 8 began publishing previously classified records related to alleged UFO sightings and unexplained aerial incidents.
The Department of War said in a statement Friday, May 8, that the “new, never-before-seen files” were being released in the interest of “total transparency.” The records are available through the government’s UAP archive at war.gov/UFO.
According to the administration, the release includes tens of millions of records — some existing only in paper form — with additional files expected to be published on a rolling basis every few weeks.
Officials said the documents contain “unresolved cases,” meaning the records do not provide definitive conclusions or detailed case-by-case explanations of the phenomena. Nor do they confirm any interaction between UAPs and the U.S. government or other nations.
However, the more than 160 declassified files and over 400 documented incidents, spanning from the 1940s through sightings reported last year, include photographs, videos, military reports, astronaut observations, and witness testimony related to unexplained aerial phenomena.
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“The Department of War welcomes the application of private-sector analysis, information and expertise. DOW will continue to conduct separate reporting on resolved UAP cases, as mandated by statute,” the department said, adding that it would continue efforts to determine the truth and share findings with the public.
The newly released material includes reports from military personnel in Iraq, Syria, and the United Arab Emirates, as well as incidents documented during NASA’s Apollo moon missions and civilian sightings from around the world.
Intraagency effort
The administration said the records are being released through a coordinated interagency initiative known as the Presidential Unsealing and Reporting System for UAP Encounters, or PURSUE.
The initiative involves the White House, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, the Department of Energy, the Department of War’s All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO), NASA, the FBI, and other U.S. intelligence agencies.
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said the release marks a shift toward greater government transparency on unidentified aerial phenomena.
“The Department of War is in lockstep with President Trump to bring unprecedented transparency regarding our government’s understanding of Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena,” Hegseth said NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman praised the declassification effort and said the agency would remain transparent about what is known and unknown regarding UAP investigations.
“The FBI remains committed to supporting this rolling declassification effort with the same rigor and integrity we bring to every national security matter. As these files continue to be reviewed and released, the American people can be confident that their security remains our highest priority,” FBI Director Kash Patel said.
Global interest in UAP records
The release of the U.S. government’s UFO files has sparked international interest, with several governments reportedly reviewing the records for incidents connected to their own regions and airspace.
The Japanese government said it is analyzing the newly released U.S. files, including reports involving sightings near Japan. Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara said at a regular press conference on Monday, May 11, that the information carries “great interest” because of its relevance to national defense and regional security.
“Regarding incidents related to our national security — including UAPs — we are constantly gathering and analyzing information with great interest, while maintaining close coordination with the United States and other countries,” Kihara said, according to The Japan Times.
Several countries already maintain official or semi-official research programs focused on unidentified aerial phenomena, including France’s GEIPAN program under the National Centre for Space Studies, Chile’s CEFAA under its civil aviation authority, and Chinese organizations such as the China UFO Research Organisation and the China National Space Administration.
Peru also operates a Department of Investigation of Anomalous Aerial Phenomenon, while other governments are believed to conduct classified or limited-scope UAP investigations through defense ministries and intelligence agencies.
