Trump Administration Releases 162 Declassified UAP Files Spanning 1948–2026 via war.gov/UFO Portal

The Trump administration on May 9, 2026 released 162 declassified Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP) files — comprising 120 PDF documents, 28 videos, and 14 images spanning 1948 to 2026 — via a new public portal at war.gov/UFO as part of the PURSUE (Presidential Unsealing and Reporting System for UAP Encounters) program. The release was described by officials as 'one of the largest declassification efforts related to unexplained aerial incidents in U.S. history.' Among the released materials were Apollo 12 and Apollo 17 mission photographs and astronaut transcripts. The Department of War (the recently renamed Defense Department) said the files would be released on a rolling basis with additional batches to follow. Trump had signed an executive order establishing the UAP declassification mandate in early 2025, promising 'full transparency' on what the government knew about UFOs. The release followed years of bipartisan congressional advocacy and the landmark 2023 House Oversight Committee testimony of whistleblower David Grusch, who alleged the US government possessed non-human craft. The administration's use of war.gov as the official UAP disclosure portal signaled that the newly renamed Department of War was now the lead agency for UAP transparency — previously housed within the Intelligence Community and the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO). Critics noted many of the files were heavily redacted; UAP research advocacy groups called the release 'a step forward but far from full disclosure,' noting that the most sensitive files — allegedly including physical evidence of non-human origin — were not included. The release generated significant public interest and media coverage as Americans processed the administration simultaneously managing two active wars (US-Iran and Russia-Ukraine).