The Pentagon has begun releasing decades-old classified files related to unidentified flying objects (UFO), including reports of mysterious aerial sightings, alleged recovered debris and witness accounts describing possible encounters with extraterrestrial beings.
The release of more than 160 records last week follows President Donald Trump’s directive calling for greater transparency in government records related to unidentified anomalous phenomena, or UAPs — the military’s official term for UFOs.
The newly declassified documents include Cold War-era reports of spinning saucer-like objects over Europe, metallic oval-shaped craft hovering in midair and unusual observations made during space missions.
Trump, posting on his social media platform, said the public should be allowed to decide “what exactly is going on,” and encouraged Americans to review the documents themselves.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the files had fueled speculation for decades because they remained secret for so long.
“It is time for the American people to see the records for themselves,” Hegseth said.
Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard said the latest release was “only the beginning” and that additional files would be made public in phases through a dedicated online portal.
Among the documents is a report linked to the historic Apollo 11 Moon Landing mission. One record states that astronaut Buzz Aldrin reported three unusual observations during the journey to the moon, including a mysterious object seen en route, flashes of light inside the spacecraft cabin and a bright light observed during the return trip.
The oldest document in the release dates to November 1948 and was marked “Top Secret” by the U.S. Air Force Intelligence Directorate. The report described repeated sightings of unexplained objects in European airspace.
According to the document, U.S. officials also contacted Swedish intelligence authorities, who reportedly concluded that the sightings appeared to involve technology “beyond that attributed to any known civilization on Earth.”
More recent records include a 2023 incident in which a woman with extensive experience identifying U.S. military aircraft and drones reported seeing a metallic oval-shaped object hovering above trees for several seconds before suddenly disappearing. The sighting was allegedly corroborated by multiple witnesses in at least two vehicles nearby.
The files also indicate that many individuals who reported UFO encounters faced ridicule and criticism, discouraging some witnesses from coming forward publicly.
Another historical report detailed a 1955 incident involving U.S. Sen. Richard Russell Jr., who allegedly observed two “flying saucer-shaped” objects while traveling by train in the former Soviet Union. U.S. authorities reportedly described the witnesses as “highly credible sources.”
Several records reference the recovery of debris from crashed unidentified craft, including materials described as unknown metals containing microscopic spherical structures.
Some of the most striking passages involve witness testimony describing possible occupants of the alleged craft.
“A few witnesses have reported seeing crewmen who had landed from the objects,” one document stated.
The beings were described as standing between 3½ and 4 feet tall and wearing what appeared to be “space suits and helmets.”
Researchers and independent investigators have for years alleged that some U.S. agencies may have knowledge of extraterrestrial encounters, though no such claims have been officially verified.
The Pentagon said additional records will continue to be released gradually through a special public-access web portal.