The Trump administration on Friday released the first batch of previously classified government files on Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP), popularly known as UFOs (unidentified flying objects), as part of a new transparency initiative on the phenomenon, which has inspired countless Hollywood stories of little green men and alien.
The release was announced by the US Defense Department under the Presidential Unsealing and Reporting System for UAP Encounters (PURSUE), an interagency program involving the White House, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, NASA, the FBI, the Energy Department, and the Pentagon's All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office.
According to the statement, the newly declassified materials, including videos, photos and government documents, are now available through a new online portal, with additional files to be released gradually.
The administration said the move follows President Donald Trump's order to begin declassifying government records related to UFOs "in the interest of total transparency."
The statement noted that all files were reviewed for national security concerns before release, although many of the materials have not yet been fully analyzed.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the documents had long been hidden and fueled public speculation.
Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard said intelligence agencies were coordinating a broad review of government-held UFO records to provide "maximum transparency" to the public.
FBI Director Kash Patel called the release a "landmark" step, while NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said the agency would continue studying unexplained phenomena through scientific research.
The administration said more declassified UFO files will be released on a rolling basis.
