Transparency proponents meet Trump’s UAP disclosure tease with hope — and caution

President Donald Trump’s vow this week to direct the release of government files about UFOs and aliens is sparking a new wave of anticipation and momentum around long-standing calls for more transparency on this historically taboo topic, experts and whistleblowers told DefenseScoop.

Yet as they acknowledge that this could mark a meaningful step towards addressing national security concerns, public intrigue and congressional oversight, multiple officials who have been involved for years in influential U.S. government disclosure efforts said they’ll remain skeptical until the second Trump administration generates tangible results.

“This might be a consequential moment, but the impact will depend on the follow-through,” Christopher Mellon, former deputy assistant secretary of defense for intelligence, noted.

Retired Rear Adm. Tim Gallaudet, a former oceanographer of the Navy who has testified before Congress on UAP topics, told DefenseScoop that the president’s pledge to disseminate previously disclosed records is significant because “he has the authority to do it, while AARO is subject to executive branch policy priorities.”

“As with other promises made by Trump, I’ll believe it when I see it,” Gallaudet said. “Sometimes he follows through, such as the initial strikes on Iranian nuclear sites, but other times he does not, like ending the Russia-Ukraine war in a day.”

“At this point, the real questions are: Can they find answers that have been hidden? Can any answers involving weapons or technology actually be released?,” said a UAP whistleblower who has participated in closed-door briefings with lawmakers and was granted anonymity to speak freely about his experiences.

“Unfortunately, if extraterrestrial craft have crashed and been reverse‑engineered, the United States is not going to reveal the weapons or technology derived from them. That’s why I believe many people celebrating this announcement may end up disappointed — not due to a lack of effort, but because of the nature of the information involved,” he said.

Based on conversations he had in the aftermath of Trump’s announcement, the whistleblower predicts this will become a full‑scope effort involving the Intelligence Community and multiple government entities.

“Whether aliens or non‑human intelligences exist remains uncertain, but what is certain is that drones flew over Langley [Air Force Base] without being tracked, intercepted, or brought down. This is just one of many serious airspace vulnerabilities, and I believe this hunt for records will expose them,” he said. “Right now, we are effectively flying blind, even with new legislation on counter‑drone measures at sensitive sites.”