Pentagon Unseals UFO Files After Trump’s Promise of Transparency

The Pentagon on Friday kicked off the public release of classified files on unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP), commonly known as UFOs, ending decades of government secrecy. This move follows President Donald Trump’s recent teaser at a conservative event promising “very interesting documents” would be made public “very, very soon.”

The newly unsealed trove, accessible at https://www.war.gov/UFO/, features videos, photos, and original source documents from across the federal government, all available without security clearance. Among the most fascinating disclosures are accounts from the Apollo 12 and Apollo 17 missions, where astronauts reported unexplained lights and objects in space. Apollo 12’s Alan Bean described “flashes of light” sailing off into space, while Apollo 17’s crew observed “bright particles” tumbling like a “Fourth of July” display.

Lawmakers, scientists, and UFO enthusiasts have long demanded such transparency, and the Pentagon’s press release framed the release as a response to public demand. It emphasized that prior administrations often sought to discredit or withhold information, but the Trump administration is “focused on providing maximum transparency.”

However, the release comes with a significant caveat: while all files have been reviewed for security, many materials have yet to be analyzed for what the anomalies represent. This means the public is getting raw data and reports, not definitive explanations.

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman praised the effort, highlighting NASA’s commitment to scientific inquiry and honesty about what is known and unknown. Meanwhile, Trump has previously directed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to review government documents related to alien life, signaling a sustained interest at the highest levels.

The Pentagon’s release system, dubbed PURSUE (Presidential Unsealings and Reporting System for UAP Encounters), appears modeled on the Department of Justice’s controversial Epstein files release. That rollout faced criticism for redactions, omissions, and accidental exposure of victim identities, raising concerns about how thoroughly the UFO files will be vetted and presented.

As the Pentagon continues adding files on a rolling basis, the public now has unprecedented access to government UFO records. But the true nature of these phenomena remains as elusive as ever — and the government’s track record on transparency suggests we should remain skeptical about how much will be revealed.