The U.S. Department of Defense released a new batch of declassified files and videos regarding unidentified aerial phenomena on May 8, 2026 [1].
This release is part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to increase transparency regarding unexplained sightings and government knowledge of UAPs. The move signals a shift toward public scrutiny of materials that were previously kept secret for decades.
The disclosure consists of 162 files [4], which cover a time span of approximately 80 years [5]. While some reports describe this as the first batch of previously secret files [1], other sources characterize the release as a new tranche of documents [2].
Among the released materials are video clips showing a U.S. fighter jet tracking a disc-shaped object [2]. Another video captures an eight-point star moving across the night sky [5]. These files originate from the Pentagon headquarters in Washington, D.C. [1].
The release follows a pledge from the administration to open decades of unexplained sightings to public review [3]. The Department of Defense has not provided a specific breakdown of the dates for every file, but the total archive spans eight decades of recorded sightings [5].
“The disclosure consists of 162 files covering approximately 80 years.”
The release of these documents reflects a political push to demystify UAPs and reduce the stigma surrounding the reporting of unidentified objects. By releasing footage of specific shapes—such as the disc and the eight-point star—the Pentagon is transitioning from verbal acknowledgments of UAPs to providing visual evidence, though the lack of definitive identification for these objects ensures that public and scientific debate will continue.
