The United States government has released what it describes as “never-before-seen” files related to Unidentified Flying Objects (UFOs) and Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP), following a directive from President Donald Trump earlier this year calling for greater transparency on extraterrestrial-related investigations.
In a statement posted on Truth Social, Trump said he had directed the Department of War and other federal agencies to begin identifying and releasing government records linked to “alien and extraterrestrial life, unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP), and unidentified flying objects (UFOs).”
Photo Credit: U.S. Department of War
The Pentagon on Friday published the first tranche of declassified files, saying the documents span decades of investigations into unexplained aerial sightings and encounters. The Department of War, working alongside the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, said additional materials would be released “on a rolling basis” every few weeks as they are reviewed and declassified.
“The American people can now access the federal government's declassified UAP files instantly,” the department said in a post on X.
“The latest UAP videos, photos, and original source documents from across the entire United States government are all in one place – no clearance required.”
Photo Credit: U.S. Department of War
Among the newly released documents are reports from NASA's Apollo missions. During the 1969 Apollo 12 mission, astronaut Alan L. Bean reported seeing mysterious “flashes of light” moving rapidly through space.
“It looks like some of those things are escaping the Moon,” Bean reportedly told mission control. “They really haul out of here and just press off at the stars.”
Files from the 1972 Apollo 17 mission also include observations from astronaut Harrison Schmitt, who described seeing “very bright” particles outside the spacecraft, comparing the scene to “the Fourth of July.”
Photo Credit: U.S. Department of War
US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said the release reflects the administration's commitment to “unprecedented transparency” regarding UAP investigations.
Meanwhile, NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman welcomed the move, saying the agency would remain “candid about what we know to be true, what we have yet to understand, and all that remains to be discovered.”
ALSO READ | China Admits Role in Assisting Pakistan's Air Force In May 2025 War With India
Essential Business Intelligence, Continuous LIVE TV, Sharp Market Insights, Practical Personal Finance Advice and Latest Stories — On NDTV Profit.
