The U.S. Department of Defense began releasing declassified UFO and UAP files this week following a directive from former President Donald Trump [1].

This release marks a significant shift in government transparency regarding unexplained aerial phenomena. By making these materials public, the Pentagon is shifting the burden of interpretation from military intelligence to the general public.

The release, announced May 7, 2026, consists of 162 files [4]. These materials include a variety of images, videos, and official documents that were previously kept from public view [1, 2]. The files originate from the Pentagon headquarters in Washington, D.C. [2, 3].

Officials said that the objective of the disclosure is to provide transparency. A Pentagon spokesperson said, "We are releasing these files so the American people can see them for themselves" [2].

The department is not providing a specific conclusion regarding the nature of the sightings. The Pentagon public affairs office said, "Members of the public can draw their own conclusions on what they see" [3].

This action follows a directive from former President Donald Trump to declassify the records [1]. While some reports attribute the release directly to the former president, others note the Pentagon as the executing agency [2].

A Pentagon spokesperson said, "It’s time the American people see it for themselves" [4].

“"We are releasing these files so the American people can see them for themselves."”

The release of these 162 files represents a transition in how the U.S. government handles Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP). By bypassing a centralized government conclusion and releasing raw data, the Pentagon is attempting to mitigate public skepticism and accusations of cover-ups while avoiding the political risk of confirming extraterrestrial or adversarial technology without absolute certainty.