Pentagon Begins Release of Previously Classified UAP Files Under New Transparency Directive

The U.S. Department of Defense has launched the release of previously classified files on unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP), officially branding the effort the Presidential Unsealing and Reporting System for UAP Encounters (PURSUE). President Donald Trump directed the initiative to promote transparency, the Pentagon announced in a post on social media platform X, stating that prior administrations had often discouraged public discussion of such incidents.

The interagency effort includes the White House, Office of the Director of National Intelligence, Department of Energy, Defense Department's All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO), NASA, FBI, and other intelligence components. The files, now accessible on war.gov/ufo, include imagery and reports from military commands, such as UAP sightings over the southern United States, near Japan, and in western U.S. airspace, some dating to 2025 and 2026. Archival Apollo 17 mission images showing unexplained lights above the lunar surface are also included.

The release follows Trump's February 19 announcement on Truth Social directing the Secretary of War to identify and disclose government records related to UAPs, UFOs, and potential extraterrestrial life. Earlier in the year, the administration also declassified files on the assassinations of JFK, RFK, and Martin Luther King Jr., though those yielded little new information. Military personnel have increasingly reported encounters with unexplained aerial objects in recent years, fueling public demand for disclosure.

Experts caution against drawing conclusions from the released materials, noting that UAP videos are frequently misinterpreted by those unaware of advanced military technology. The Pentagon's prior review found no evidence that the U.S. has recovered alien spacecraft or confirmed extraterrestrial life. The Department of War will continue to release files on a rolling basis.

The Pentagon said it expects sustained public and congressional interest in the disclosures, and will provide regular updates through the AARO office. The next batch of files is scheduled for release within 30 days.