WASHINGTON: The United States Department of Defence on Friday released its first batch of previously classified files related to unidentified flying objects (UFOs), following an order issued by US President Donald Trump earlier this year amid renewed public interest in the subject.
The release includes 162 documents spanning several decades, featuring material from the FBI, the State Department, and the US space agency NASA.
The Pentagon also launched a dedicated website to host the files, featuring a stylised design with white typewriter-style text displayed against a black background.
In a statement, the Pentagon said it had not reached any conclusions regarding the photographs and documents released, noting that many of the materials had only undergone security screening and “have not yet been analysed for resolution of any anomalies.”
— Department of War 🇺🇸 (@DeptofWar) May 8, 2026
“While past administrations sought to discredit or dissuade the American people, President Trump is focused on providing maximum transparency to the public, who can ultimately make up their own minds about the information contained in these files,” the statement said.
Several government agencies, including the Energy Department, NASA, the FBI, and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, were involved in the release.
Trump has presented the initiative as part of a broader push for transparency, consistent with his earlier orders to release records related to the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy, Senator Robert F. Kennedy and civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr.
Those previously released files revealed little beyond information that was already publicly known.
“In an effort for Complete and Maximum Transparency, it was my Honor to direct my Administration to identify and provide Government files related to Alien and Extraterrestrial Life, Unidentified Aerial Phenomena, and Unidentified Flying Objects,” Trump wrote on Truth Social on Friday.
“Have Fun and Enjoy!” he said.
— DOW Rapid Response (@DOWResponse) May 8, 2026
Trump’s February order to release files related to UFOs and unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP) followed renewed public interest after former US President Barack Obama said during a podcast interview that aliens were “real”, although he added that he had not personally seen one and that none were being kept in government facilities.
“The Department of War is in lockstep with President Trump to bring unprecedented transparency regarding our government’s understanding of Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena. These files, hidden behind classifications, have long fueled justified speculation — and it’s time the American people see it for themselves. This release of declassified documents demonstrates the Trump Administration’s earnest commitment to unprecedented transparency,” Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said in the statement.
