US Government Declassifies Century-Old UFO Archives Amid Political Debate
The disclosure includes decades of State Department cables and intelligence transcripts, though critics argue the move diverts attention from ongoing military campaigns and domestic policy.
The US Pentagon, in coordination with the Director of National Intelligence, the Energy Department, NASA and the FBI, has released a collection of over 100 previously classified documents and videos concerning Unidentified Flying Objects. President Donald Trump characterised the disclosure as "complete and maximum transparency," arguing that previous secrecy had fuelled justified speculation and that it was time for the American public to review the materials.
Hosted on a newly unveiled website, the archive comprises 162 specific files, including more than 20 videos of unidentified objects captured by military sensors in locations ranging from Syria and Japan to North America. The released materials include State Department cables, FBI transcripts and NASA footage spanning several decades, with the latest documents dating back to 1 January of this year.
Among the specific content details are testimony from astronaut Buzz Aldrin regarding a "fairly bright light source" observed during the Apollo 11 mission. A 1972 Apollo 17 photograph showing three dots in a triangular formation is also included; a preliminary Pentagon analysis suggests this could be a "physical object," though no consensus exists on the nature of the anomaly.
Further intelligence files describe a "super-hot" orb hovering over the ground and travelling at high speed, as well as a 2023 FBI interview with a drone pilot who witnessed a "linear object" with visible light bands. To date, no evidence of intelligent life beyond Earth has been produced from these disclosures.
Political reaction to the release has been sharply divided. Former Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene dismissed the files as "distraction" and "propaganda," stating she does not care about the documents. Critics argue the move diverts attention from the US military campaign against Iran and other domestic issues.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated that files previously hidden behind classifications had fuelled speculation and that it was time for the American people to see them for themselves. President Trump added that whereas previous Administrations have failed to be transparent, the people can now decide for themselves what is happening.
