US releases first declassified UFO files under Trump transparency order

According to the Department of War, the release follows Trump’s directive ordering greater transparency regarding government-held information on alleged extraterrestrial life and unexplained aerial phenomena. Officials said additional files will be published on a rolling basis as more materials are reviewed and declassified.

“In response to President Donald J. Trump’s directive for transparency on U.S. government information regarding Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP), the Department of War (DOW), with support from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), is overseeing government wide efforts to expeditiously find, review, identify, declassify and publicly release unresolved UAP-related records and historical documents in the federal government’s possession. This is an unprecedented, historic undertaking that requires coordination between dozens of agencies and the review of tens of millions of records, many existing only on paper, spanning many decades,” the department said in a statement.

The released materials reportedly include more than 160 files documenting over 400 incidents worldwide, ranging from the 1940s to recent years. Among the newly disclosed documents are records connected to the Apollo 11, Apollo 12 and Apollo 17 lunar missions, including astronaut observations of unexplained lights and moving particles during spaceflight. Several declassified videos also contain infrared military footage showing unidentified objects.

Trump commented on the release in a post on Truth Social, saying: “As for my promise to you, the Department of War has released the first tranche of the UFO/UAP files to the Public for their review and study. In an effort for Complete and Maximum Transparency, it was my Honor to direct my Administration to identify and provide Government files related to Alien and Extraterrestrial Life, Unidentified Aerial Phenomena, and Unidentified Flying Objects. Whereas previous Administrations have failed to be transparent on this subject, with these new Documents and Videos, the people can decide for themselves, “WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?” Have Fun and Enjoy!”

The administration said unresolved cases do not represent confirmed evidence of extraterrestrial activity, but rather incidents where investigators lacked sufficient information to determine the nature of the observed phenomena.

“The materials archived here are unresolved cases, meaning the government is unable to make a definitive determination on the nature of the observed phenomena. This can occur for a variety of reasons, including a lack of sufficient data, and 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. Under this Administration, we will pursue the truth and share our findings with the American people,” Pentagon said.

To note, Trump directed his administration to release government files related to unidentified flying objects (UFO) and possible extraterrestrial life back in February.