Under this Administration, we will pursue the truth and share our findings with the American people.
— from the “www.war.gov/UFO/” website, May 2026.
The U.S. Department of Defense has released more documents purportedly related to “Unidentified Aerial Phenomena” — known among experts as “UAPs”. But it’s the same as “UFOs” as far as I can tell.
I found some of the released documents on the Presidential Unsealing and Reporting System for UAP Encounters (PURSUE) website. I’m delighted to learn that the current administration is now pursuing the truth, considering the past year or so.
From our President:
Based on the tremendous interest shown, I will be directing the Secretary of War, and other relevant Departments and Agencies, to begin the process of identifying and releasing Government files related to alien and extraterrestrial life, unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP), and unidentified flying objects (UFOs), and any and all other information connected to these highly complex, but extremely interesting and important, matters. GOD BLESS AMERICA!
Part of the tremendous interest in this topic comes from journalists like me, who need a steady stream of news-worthy subjects for our reporting. And if anything can be called “news-worthy”, it’s certainly stories about extraterrestrial lifeforms. Most of us journalists are weary of covering the same old news about humans mistreating one another, and we’d love to report, instead, on aliens from outer space. For a change of pace, if nothing else.
I’m a little bit behind the curve, however. Some news outlets were reporting on this new document release back on May 8, so this might actually be “old news” already. Nevertheless, we have to make do with whatever might be available, and thousands of formerly-classified UAP documents are now quite available, thanks to our current administration.
As far as I can tell, the reports from Americans about strange flying objects date back to at least 1947. For example:
From this letter submitted to the U.S. military in 1947:
“…And i saw the same flying objects at about the same time. Having a telescope with me at the time i can asure you they are real and noting like them I ever saw before they did not pass verry high over where I was standing at the time. plobly 1000 ft. they were Round about 30 foot in dimeter tapering sharply to a point in the head end in an oval shape. with a bright top surface. I did not hear any noise as you would from a plane…”
The remainder of the report gets kind of weird. Something about “a big hand of a clock shifting from side to side like a big magenet,” for example. (I assume he meant “magnet”?)
I’ve heard many stories about UFO sightings, but none of them, that I can recall, mentioned the big hand of a clock. I have a hard time even imagining what this means. Which is not to say that I’m doubting Mr. Johnson’s report. They always say, “Truth is stranger than fiction.” I also say that same thing, whenever possible.
Many of the documents come from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, even though they are being distributed by the Defense Department. Now known as the Department of War, a name-change that has caused me a bit of anxiety, if I want to be honest about it. I personally want America to be “Defended” but I’m not so sure about having a department that starts wars just for the heck of it, out of boredom.
Especially, I wouldn’t want my government starting a war with extraterrestrial aliens. That could potentially turn out very badly.
Louis Cannon
Underrated writer Louis Cannon grew up in the vast American West, although his ex-wife, given the slightest opportunity, will deny that he ever grew up at all. You can read more stories on his Substack account.