What are UFO files? Trump orders disclosure on extraterrestrial life ‘very soon’
us President donald trump announced this week that he has formally directed the War Department and federal intelligence agencies to declassify and release government records regarding unidentified flying objects (UFOs) and extraterrestrial life.Speaking at a rally in Phoenix, POTUS said the process of identifying “very interesting documents” is currently underway. He told the crowd that the first batch of these releases would begin “very, very soon,” though the White House has not yet provided a specific calendar for document drops.
Instructions to Federal Agencies
In February 2026, Trump issued a formal directive to Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and other agency heads. The order directs the government to locate and prepare for public release any files related to:
unknown aerial phenomenon (UAP)- Unidentified Flying Objects (UFOs)
- Information regarding “Alien and Extraterrestrial Life”
Following this directive, the Administration registered the domain Aliens.gov in March, which was intended to serve as a central clearinghouse for unclassified materials.
Congress pressure
This step has been taken amid the growing standoff between the Pentagon and Capitol Hill. Representative Anna Paulina Luna, chair of the House Task Force on Federal Secrets, recently demanded the release of 46 specific classified videos. These videos purportedly show “tic-tac-shaped” objects performing maneuvers in restricted airspace and combat zones.Representative Tim Burchett has also pushed for transparency, citing the classified briefing on UAP, which he claims contains information that would “set the earth on fire” if made public. Both lawmakers have criticized the Pentagon’s All-Domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) for missing a deadline to provide these records to Congress.
What is expected in the files?
Although the exact contents remain classified, upcoming releases are expected to focus on:
- Military sensor data: Declassified radar tracks and infrared footage from Navy and Air Force encounters.
- Historical Records: Old files from the National Archives that have been digitized for public viewing.
- Recent incursions: Report on a 2023 incident where an F-16 shot down an unidentified object over Lake Huron, as well as a drone-like swarm reported at Langley Air Force Base.
Conclusions of the previous government
Despite Trump’s enthusiasm, official military reports remain cautious. A 2024 report by AARO stated that no evidence had been found to confirm that extraterrestrial technology is involved in any UAP sightings. The military has historically attributed many sightings to balloons, drones or sensor malfunction. However, whistleblowers such as former intelligence officer David Grush testified to Congress in 2023 that the US maintains a “multi-decade” program to recover and reverse-engineer crashed aircraft. The government has previously denied these claims, but the new executive order is designed to force a fresh search of agency records to settle the debate.The White House has indicated that the “expedited release” of these never-before-seen materials is now a priority for the administration’s second term.