WASHINGTON: On Friday, President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth shared a trove of formerly classified documents about UFO sightings and potential extraterrestrial life. They described this move as a step towards “unprecedented transparency” for the American public.
The release includes about 170 files, featuring a variety of intriguing materials. Among them is a 1947 report on “flying discs,” a photo of unidentified phenomena captured during the Apollo 12 mission in 1969, and a transcript from the Apollo 17 crew discussing unidentified objects observed from the moon in 1972.
In the transcript, Apollo 17 pilot Ronald Evans mentioned seeing “a few very bright particles or fragments or something that go drifting by.” Mission control responded, “Roger. Understand.”
Hegseth emphasized the significance of this release, stating that the long-hidden files have sparked much speculation and that it’s time for the public to see the information for themselves. This disclosure is expected to reignite discussions about government secrecy and the potential for life beyond Earth.
Trump remarked, “Previous administrations have not been transparent on this subject. With these new documents and videos, the people can decide for themselves, ‘WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?’ Have fun and enjoy!”
The release was praised by U.S. Representatives Tim Burchett and Anna Paulina Luna, who have called for more transparency regarding UFO files. Luna hinted that more documents would be available in about a month.
Harvard astrophysicist Avi Loeb commented that these files demonstrate that unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP) are more than just fanciful speculation. He noted that the fascinating images from Apollo missions could potentially be linked to asteroid impacts on the moon but suggested that more enthralling materials might still be on the way, though further declassification could take some time.
However, some critics argue that spotlighting UFOs is merely a distraction from pressing political issues facing Trump, including dissatisfaction with the U.S. military’s actions in Iran and mounting calls to reveal additional information related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Former Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene expressed her disinterest on social media, stating, “I really don’t care about the UFO files. I’m so sick of the ‘look at the shiny object’ propaganda.”
