Pentagon releases first batch of declassified UAP files under Trump

The Pentagon on Friday began releasing declassified files on unidentified anomalous phenomena, opening what the Trump administration says will be a rolling series of disclosures giving the public direct access to decades of military records on unexplained aerial encounters.

The disclosure fulfills a 2022 congressional mandate ordering the Pentagon to release records of military encounters with unexplained aircraft and represents the most expansive federal transparency push on the subject in decades.

The Pentagon coordinated the release with the White House, the Director of National Intelligence, the Energy Department, NASA and the FBI, according to ABC7 Los Angeles. Documents are to follow on a rolling basis through a declassification office established in 2022.

Congress ordered the Pentagon that year to begin releasing records after military personnel reported encounters with unexplained aircraft. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, a Republican, had demanded in March the release of 46 UAP videos identified by whistleblowers; those recordings are expected to appear in subsequent Pentagon releases.

A 2024 Pentagon report revealed hundreds of new UAP incidents but found no evidence of alien technology, ABC7 Los Angeles reported. Experts have cautioned that UAP videos are frequently misinterpreted by people unfamiliar with advanced military hardware.

In a statement posted on X, the Pentagon said the Trump administration "is focused on providing maximum transparency to the public, who can ultimately make up their own minds about the information contained in these files," drawing a contrast with previous administrations it said sought to discredit public interest in the subject.

Rep. Tim Burchett, a Republican who has long pressed for greater disclosure, urged patience. "I would like to remind people that transparency won't all happen at once, it will take some time," Burchett said in a statement.

Whistleblower-identified videos, including the 46 recordings demanded by Rep. Luna, are expected to appear in upcoming Pentagon releases as the declassification effort continues, according to ABC7 Los Angeles.