On May 8, 2026 the Pentagon opened its UAP archives to the public for the first time — 162 files, no clearance required.
On May 8, 2026, the United States government did something it has resisted for decades — it opened the vault.
The first batch of long-awaited declassified files on Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena are now housed on a dedicated government portal at war.gov/UFO, with additional files to be added on a rolling basis. “The American people can now access the federal government’s declassified UAP files instantly,” the Pentagon stated. “The latest UAP videos, photos, and original source documents from across the entire United States government are all in one place — no clearance required.”
The release was made under a program with its own acronym — PURSUE, the Presidential Unsealings and Reporting System for UAP Encounters — operating under direct order from President Trump.
What Was Released
The initial release included exactly 162 unsealed files — 120 detailed PDF documents including field reports, internal memos, and technical analyses, along with 28 new videos and 14 high-resolution images showcasing anomalous objects captured by military targeting pods and surveillance systems. Substack
The records were drawn from the Department of Defense, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, NASA, the FBI, and other federal agencies. Many focused on unexplained aerial objects observed by military personnel, astronauts, and drone operators. plex
What the Files Show
A large share of the alleged encounters date back to the 1950s and 1960s, particularly in Cold War-era hotspots like Germany and the Soviet Union. More recent reports are concentrated in the Middle East — including around the Strait of Hormuz, Iraq and Syria — where the U.S. has maintained a substantial military presence. CNN
Among the more compelling recent cases, a notable encounter took place over two days in the western U.S. in 2023, in which federal law enforcement officers independently reported strange incidents involving orbs, with one reporting “orbs launching other orbs.” The Pentagon calls this “among the most compelling” of the reports it holds. CNN
The files also include internal military memos describing “one possible small UAP” in Iraq in 2022, and “multiple glares or light from an unknown origin” observed in Syria in 2024. femalefirst
What the Government Is Saying — And Not Saying
The documents don’t suggest any wide-ranging government cover-up of extraterrestrial encounters. The files show no indication that the U.S. government has had any interaction with beings from other planets or that it has any reason to believe such beings have visited Earth. thinkaboutit-aliens
That is the official position. Students of this subject will recognize the pattern.
“These files, hidden behind classifications, have long fueled justified speculation — and it’s time the American people see it for themselves,” Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard confirmed that Friday’s release “is the first in what will be an ongoing joint declassification and release effort.” irishstar
Trump himself framed it simply on Truth Social — the documents are out so the people can decide for themselves “WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?” femalefirst
What Comes Next
This is described as the first tranche. More files are coming on a rolling basis. The portal at war.gov/UFO will continue to expand. For researchers who have been tracking this phenomenon for decades, the question was never whether the government had information — it was whether they would ever release it.
Now they are. Watch what they choose to release next, and watch what they don’t.
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