The United States Department of Defense, the Pentagon, recently released previously classified documents concerning UFOs. These documents include accounts from ordinary people reporting sightings of unidentified objects from Earth, as well as astronauts observing unknown phenomena from the Moon. The files, once confidential, were made public last Friday under the direction of former President Donald Trump. In 2023, Trump instructed the release of these materials, citing “widespread public interest” in UFOs. Interest in the possibility of extraterrestrial life has notably increased in the U.S. in recent years. In fact, the U.S. Congress held its first hearing on UFOs in 50 years in 2022, during which the military committed to greater transparency on the issue. On that Friday, the Pentagon uploaded 161 files to its official website, with additional documents expected to follow in the coming days.
Earlier in February, former President Barack Obama sparked public curiosity when he stated that aliens “are real, but I have not seen them myself.” He later clarified that he was speaking about the statistical possibility of extraterrestrial life rather than confirmed evidence. During the same month, Trump authorized the Pentagon to publish files related to “aliens and extraterrestrial life, unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP), and unidentified flying objects (UFOs).”
The recently released files include military notes, reports from various Apollo missions sent to the Moon, and accounts from individuals claiming UFO sightings who believe these objects might be of extraterrestrial origin. The documents also contain records of “flashes of light” witnessed by Apollo astronauts, as well as transcripts of conversations among Apollo mission crew members from the 1960s and 1970s. Notably, communications from Apollo 11, Apollo 12, and Apollo 17 missions had previously been kept classified.
Renowned Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin, in an interview published on Friday, recounted witnessing several unexplained phenomena during lunar missions. “I saw a source of very bright light which we assumed could possibly be a laser,” he said. The files also mention Apollo 12 astronaut Alan Bean’s observation of particles and flashes during spacewalks.
Another document features an audio recording capturing the communication between Gemini 7 astronaut Frank Borman and mission control during the 1965 flight. In it, Borman reports seeing an unidentified object on the left side of his spacecraft, describing it as a “bug” followed by “millions of tiny particles.”
Lawmakers have welcomed the Pentagon’s initiative, emphasizing the need for government transparency regarding UFOs. Republican Congressman Tim Burchett described the disclosure as “an amazing step forward.” However, former Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene alleged that the document release is a tactic to divert public attention from more serious U.S. issues such as fiscal management and the situation in Iran.
