In the United States, the debate over unidentified aerial phenomena is returning to the forefront of the global political agenda. In an official directive, the presidency has ordered the Department of Defense (DoD) and federal agencies to begin declassifying government documents related to UFOs and UAPs (Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena).
The announcement, made official from Air Force One, marks a turning point in transparency on one of the most controversial topics of the last century, responding to growing pressure from the public and Congress.
The official position of American institutions
The decision to release the classified files comes at a time of heated debate. Despite the speculation, national security officials are maintaining a cautious stance. According to reports from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), most of the reports analyzed show no evidence of extraterrestrial technology, while acknowledging the existence of objects with trajectories that are difficult to explain. Pentagon sources emphasize that many of the images are attributed to alien drones or atmospheric phenomena, as detailed in the annual reports of the AARO (All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office).
NASA’s role in life science research
While politics focuses on declassification, NASA continues its search through empirical methods. In its 2023 independent report on UAPs, the agency reiterated that there is no conclusive evidence linking the sightings to alien intelligence. However, the search for life continues with orbital and ground-based missions. The Europa Clipper probe will explore Jupiter’s moons, the James Webb Telescope will continue to analyze the atmospheres of distant exoplanets, and the Dragonfly drone will study the organic compounds of Titan.
Implications of the new presidential directive
The directive does not set an immediate deadline, as reviewing sensitive files takes time to protect national security. Many observers see the move as a political maneuver to address interest in the mysteries of the cosmos. Institutes like SETI emphasize that detecting life beyond Earth would require extraordinary evidence and rigorous scientific verification, regardless of political documents.
It remains to be seen whether the full opening of the files will extinguish conspiracy theories, or further fuel them.