US President Donald Trump has announced that the Pentagon will soon begin releasing classified files related to Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAPs) and UFOs, marking a significant step towards greater disclosure on the subject.
'Great Disclosure' teased at public event
Speaking at a Turning Point USA event in Phoenix, Arizona on April 17, Trump told a crowd of young conservative voters that the release of these files was imminent, per Wion.
"I thought I'd save it for this crowd, because you're a little bit out there," he joked.
Also Read | Another round of US-Iran talks lined up in Islamabad on Monday — will this break the stalemate?
He added that the government had uncovered "many very interesting documents" and confirmed that the "first releases will begin very, very soon".
Trump also said he had directed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to initiate the declassification process.
Earlier directive and Pentagon response
The move follows a February post by Trump on Truth Social, where he instructed Hegseth and relevant agencies to begin identifying and releasing files linked to "alien and extraterrestrial life, unidentified aerial phenomena, and unidentified flying objects".
Hegseth later told reporters the department was "digging in" to the material and would comply with the directive.
Congressional pressure builds
The announcement comes amid growing pressure from lawmakers. In March, the House Oversight Committee's UAP Task Force sent a request to the Pentagon seeking more than 45 video files dating back to 2019, with a deadline of April 14.
The request followed hearings where whistleblowers claimed that the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office holds video evidence of UAP encounters. These reportedly include sightings of cigar-shaped and spherical objects, activity near Iran and Syria, incidents around US military bases, and a 2023 shootdown over Lake Huron.
"The lack of disclosure regarding the very real threat posed by UAPs in and around US restricted airspace is concerning," the congressional letter stated.
Obama's remarks add to debate
Around the same time, former US president Barack Obama addressed the topic during a podcast, confirming the existence of UAP-related records.
Also Read | Days after refusal, US renews Russia oil waiver — what changed?
"They're real, but I haven't seen them," he said, adding that there was no underground facility holding aliens, "unless there's this enormous conspiracy and they hid it from the president".
