US President Donald Trump announced this week that he has formally directed the Department of War and federal intelligence agencies to begin the declassification and release of government records regarding unidentified flying objects (UFOs) and extraterrestrial life.Speaking at a rally in Phoenix, the POTUS stated that the process of identifying “very interesting documents” is currently underway. He told the crowd that the first batch of these releases would begin “very, very soon,” though the White House has not yet provided a specific calendar for the document drops.
The directive to federal agencies
In February 2026, Trump issued a formal directive to secretary of War Pete Hegseth and other agency heads. The order instructs the government to locate and prepare for public release any files related to:
- Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP)
- Unidentified Flying Objects (UFOs)
- Information regarding “alien and extraterrestrial life”
Following this directive, the administration registered the domain aliens.gov in March, intended to serve as a central clearinghouse for the declassified materials.
Pressure from Congress
The move comes amid a growing standoff between the Pentagon and Capitol Hill. Representative Anna Paulina Luna, chairwoman of a House task force on federal secrets, recently demanded the release of 46 specific classified videos. These videos reportedly show “tic-tac-shaped” objects performing maneuvers in restricted airspace and war zones.Representative Tim Burchett has also pushed for transparency, citing classified briefings on UAP that he claims contain information that “would set the Earth on fire” if made public. Both lawmakers have criticised the Pentagon’s All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) for missing deadlines to provide these records to Congress.
What Is expected in the files?
While the exact contents remain classified, the upcoming releases are expected to focus on:
- Military sensor data: Declassified radar tracks and infrared footage from Navy and Air Force encounters.
- Historical records: Older files from the National Archives that have been digitized for public viewing.
- Recent incursions: Reports on a 2023 incident where an F-16 shot down an unknown object over Lake Huron, as well as drone-like swarms reported over Langley Air Force Base.
Past government findings
Despite Trump’s enthusiasm, official military reports have remained cautious. A 2024 report from AARO stated that no evidence had been found to confirm that any UAP sightings involved extraterrestrial technology. The military has historically attributed many sightings to balloons, drones, or sensor malfunctions. However, whistleblowers like David Grusch, a former intelligence official, testified to Congress in 2023 that the US has maintained a “multi-decade” program to retrieve and reverse-engineer crashed craft. The government has previously denied these claims, but the new executive order is designed to force a fresh search of agency records to settle the debate.The White House has indicated that the “expeditious release” of these never-before-seen materials is now a priority for the administration’s second term.
