The Trump administration has unveiled a trove of “never-before-seen” files, videos, and intelligence material on Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP), opening the door to decades of speculation about extraterrestrial encounters.
In a move the White House framed as an unprecedented transparency push, officials released declassified material, reigniting fascination with mysterious aerial sightings that have long hovered at the edge of conspiracy and national security debates.
“The latest UAP videos, photos, and original source documents from across the entire United States government are all in one place – no clearance required. While past administrations sought to discredit or dissuade the American people, President Trump is focused on providing maximum transparency to the public, who can ultimately make up their own minds about the information contained in these files,” the White House said in a statement to US media on Friday.
The initial batch of declassified documents, videos, photographs and raw source material from across the US intelligence apparatus is now publicly available through a dedicated government portal, WAR.GOV/UFO, with more files expected to be released on a rolling basis.
The interagency initiative, known as the Presidential Unsealing and Reporting System for UAP Encounters, or PURSUE, involves the White House, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, the Department of Energy, NASA, the FBI and other arms of the US national security state.
Apollo 17 mission
“The American people can now access the federal government’s declassified UAP files instantly,” the Department of Defence said.
Among the documents released Friday was a transcript from the Apollo 17 mission, capturing a brief but haunting exchange between operators as they tracked an unexplained object drifting through space.
“Now we've got a few very bright particles or fragments or something that go drifting by as we manoeuvre,” one operator told mission control, according to the newly disclosed communications.
“Roger. Understand,” the command centre replied.
Officials noted that many of the materials were reviewed only for security concerns and have not yet undergone full scientific analysis.
Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth called the release a fulfilment of President Trump’s transparency agenda.
“These files, hidden behind classifications, have long fuelled justified speculation, and it’s time the American people see it for themselves. This demonstrates the Trump administration’s earnest commitment to unprecedented transparency,” Hegseth said.
Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard said the intelligence community was conducting a “careful, comprehensive and unprecedented review” under Trump’s leadership.
FBI Director Kash Patel described the move as historic.
“For the first time in history, the American people have unfettered access to declassified government files on Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena, a level of transparency that no prior administration has delivered,” Patel said.
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman struck a more scientific tone, saying the agency would “follow the data” while remaining candid about both established facts and unresolved mysteries in humanity’s attempt to better understand the universe.
The release follows years of growing international interest in UAP encounters, whistleblower testimony and leaked military footage that have challenged official narratives.
While Washington has gradually acknowledged investigating such phenomena through programmes including the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office, critics have long accused the US government of maintaining a culture of secrecy that deepened public distrust.
