The U.S. government has launched a major declassification effort to release long-secret records related to Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena, commonly known as UFOs or UAPs, following a transparency directive issued by President Donald Trump.
The U.S. Department of War, working with the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, said it is overseeing a government-wide review of unresolved UFO cases and historical records held across federal agencies.
Officials described the operation as one of the largest declassification efforts related to unexplained aerial incidents in U.S. history. The review involves tens of millions of records gathered over several decades, many of them stored only in paper form.
Authorities said analysts and researchers are now working to identify, review, and clear records suitable for public release. The documents will be released gradually as the declassification process moves forward.
Officials say many cases remain unexplained
Defense officials said the records being released focus mainly on unresolved UFO incidents. In many cases, investigators were unable to determine the nature of the observed objects because evidence was incomplete or limited.
Officials added that the government welcomes outside analysis from scientists, researchers, and private experts as part of the broader effort to better understand unexplained sightings and military encounters.
U.S. Department of War releases UFO files
This release follows the direction of President Trump to begin the process of identifying and declassifying government files related to Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP) in the interest of total transparency. pic.twitter.com/T7wsK4GVA6
— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) May 8, 2026
The administration said separate reports on resolved UAP cases will continue to be published in accordance with federal law.
Public interest in UFO investigations has grown sharply in recent years, especially after congressional hearings and the release of military videos showing unexplained aerial objects observed by U.S. pilots.
Hegseth says Americans deserve transparency
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the Trump administration is committed to increasing public access to government records tied to unexplained aerial phenomena.
“These files, hidden behind classifications, have long fueled justified speculation,” Hegseth said in a statement released alongside the declassification effort. “It’s time the American people see it for themselves.”
Hegseth said the document release reflects what he described as the administration’s commitment to transparency regarding the government’s understanding of UFO-related incidents.
Declassified records include pilot encounters
Officials said some of the newly released materials are expected to include reports involving encounters between active-duty U.S. military pilots and unidentified aerial objects.
Among the declassified materials is a photograph reportedly taken during the 1969 Apollo 12 Moon Landing mission. According to officials, the image appears to show several unexplained objects visible from the moon’s surface. The authenticity and interpretation of the image have not been independently verified.
The War Department said additional batches of UFO-related records will continue to be released in the coming weeks as reviews and declassification efforts continue.
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