The U.S. Department of Defense released 162 declassified files regarding unidentified anomalous phenomena on May 8, 2024 [1].
This release marks a significant shift in government transparency regarding UAPs, formerly known as UFOs. By making these records public, the Trump administration is allowing citizens to examine official data that was previously restricted to military and intelligence circles.
The released materials include a variety of formats, such as photos, letters, and videos [2]. Among the documents are Apollo moon photos and a mysterious FBI case file identified as 62-HQ-83894 [2]. These files were made accessible via a U.S. government website to ensure the public could review the evidence directly [2].
Officials from the Pentagon said the goal of the release is to increase transparency [3]. The department said that the public should draw its own conclusions about the sightings and the nature of the phenomena described in the files [3].
While some reports described the release as dozens of files, the specific count of 162 documents is cited in detailed reports of the disclosure [1], [2]. The move follows years of increasing pressure from lawmakers and the public to reveal what the government knows about potential non-human aerial intelligence.
The documents provide a window into how the U.S. military has tracked and categorized anomalous objects over several decades. By removing the classification from these 162 files [1], the government has shifted the burden of interpretation from secret agencies to the general public.
“The U.S. Department of Defense released 162 declassified files regarding unidentified anomalous phenomena.”
The release of these documents represents a transition from government-controlled narratives to a policy of open-source intelligence. By providing the raw data—including FBI files and lunar photography—the Pentagon is acknowledging that the existence of UAPs is a matter of public interest, even if the government has not yet provided a definitive explanation for the phenomena.
