US President Donald Trump announced that the Pentagon has uncovered “very interesting documents” related to UFOs and unidentified aerial phenomena, with the first releases expected “very, very soon”.
Speaking at a Turning Point USA event in Phoenix on Saturday (18 April), the US President told supporters the declassification process was well underway following his February directive to Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth.
Trump told the crowd that he had recently directed officials to begin releasing government files relating to UFOs and unexplained aerial phenomena.
The US president’s February order came shortly after former President Barack Obama sparked renewed interest in the topic during a podcast interview, though Obama later clarified he was referring to the statistical likelihood of extraterrestrial life rather than evidence of alien contact.
Congressional pressure for transparency has intensified in recent months, with lawmakers demanding greater disclosure on unidentified aerial phenomena.
Representative Anna Paulina Luna requested 46 videos from the Pentagon’s UAP investigation by 14th April and threatened to use subpoena authority after the deadline passed.
Representative Tim Burchett has also urged the administration to release information, praising Trump for keeping his commitment to pursue disclosure.
The Pentagon has not confirmed a timeline or detailed what the documents contain, and Trump has stopped short of asserting the phenomena are of alien origin.
Previous Pentagon reports documented hundreds of UAP sightings but found no credible proof of alien life, attributing most incidents to misidentified objects or natural phenomena.
A Defence Department spokesperson said its All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office is working closely with the White House on the initiative.
The anticipated release could expand public access to long-classified materials and shape how lawmakers, scientists and the public evaluate past UFO investigations.
However, experts caution that expectations should be tempered, with some predicting the files may consist largely of routine administrative records rather than dramatic revelations about extraterrestrial technology.