House Task Force Hears Sworn Testimony Accusing AARO of 'Misrepresentation' as Veterans, Journalist Testify

The House Oversight Committee's Task Force on the Declassification of Federal Secrets, chaired by Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, held 'Restoring Public Trust Through UAP Transparency and Whistleblower Protection' at the Capitol Visitor Center — its first UAP-focused hearing. Sworn witnesses included Air Force veterans Jeffrey Nuccetelli and Dylan Borland, active-duty Navy Chief Alexandro Wiggins (the first active-duty Navy witness to testify publicly on the topic, describing a 2023 case where his crew tracked a self-lit object emerging from the sea), and journalist George Knapp, who said declassified documents show the government has long known 'these things are real' and suggested UAP research has been outsourced to private contractors partly to evade FOIA requests. Borland alleged a long history of career reprisal after reporting an encounter and told the task force AARO's public statements amounted to 'a misrepresentation of the truth' and a 'manipulation of the public perception' compared with what insiders have reported internally. Members including Reps. Burchett, Burlison, Perry, and Mace questioned witnesses on whistleblower protections, funding transparency, and — from Mace — whether UAP claims could represent a psychological operation. Luna said ahead of the hearing that 'the American people deserve maximum transparency from the federal government on sightings, acquisitions, and examinations of UAPs.'