The Pentagon has released 162 declassified files on unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP) on May 8, fulfilling President Trump's directive to make government records public. The documents, available at war.gov/ufo, span from 1942 to 2025 and include NASA transcripts, Apollo moon mission photographs, and military infrared footage.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated, “These files, hidden behind classifications, have long fueled justified speculation — and it’s time the American people see it for themselves.” The release originates from the Presidential Unsealing and Reporting System for UAP Encounters (PURSUE).
Among the most striking disclosures is an Apollo 17 image showing three lights in a triangular formation above the lunar surface. A new government analysis suggests this may represent a physical object, prompting the Pentagon to launch a formal investigation and obtain the original film for full analysis. Audio from 1965 includes astronaut Frank Borman reporting a “bogey at 10 o’clock high” during Gemini VII, and Apollo 17 Mission Commander Eugene Cernan describing a “flashing” rotating object.
The files also contain 24 videos totaling 41 minutes, including infrared clips of objects making 90-degree turns at 80 mph over Greece in 2023, a football-shaped object near Japan, and semi-transparent shapes over Syria. A 2023 report describes a pilot’s weapons systems being completely disabled near a small UAP, highlighting possible electronic warfare implications.
Of the 162 files, 108 contain redactions, but none pertain to the nature or existence of UAP encounters. Redactions cover witness identities and military site data. Additional files will be released every few weeks on a rolling basis. The Pentagon confirmed no information was withheld on any reported UAP encounters themselves.
Defense analysts do not expect the release to impact defense stocks, noting that the iShares Aerospace & Defense ETF is down 8% since recent Middle East tensions. Lockheed Martin reported a 1% drop in aeronautics revenue in Q1 2026 due to lower classified program sales.
