Following instructions from U.S. President Donald Trump the Pentagon on Friday released a new set of previously classified files related to reported UFO sightings describing the move as part of an effort to enhance public transparency.
The Department of Defense said the disclosure includes documents, photographs, and video material associated with Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP). Officials also indicated that more records are expected to be released in future phases as declassification work continues.
Authorities confirmed that around 160 files were made public in the latest release. The documents include a 1947 report referencing “flying discs,” imagery from NASA’s Apollo 12 mission in 1969, and transcripts from the Apollo 17 mission in 1972, where astronauts described unusual objects observed during lunar operations.
In one transcript Apollo 17 astronaut Ronald Evans reported seeing “bright particles or fragments” moving near the spacecraft, an observation acknowledged by mission control at the time.
Officials said these records had remained classified for decades and have long been a source of public speculation regarding unidentified aerial activity.
Despite renewed attention experts reviewing the material stressed that the files do not provide confirmed evidence of alien technology or extraterrestrial life.
While some visuals revisit previously known sightings analysts noted that most cases remain inconclusive due to limited clarity and insufficient supporting data.
Harvard astrophysicist Avi Loeb suggested that certain lunar images could be explained by natural phenomena such as asteroid impacts on the Moon’s surface.
UAP researcher Mick West similarly stated that many of the newly released visuals appear to show distant or indistinct objects that cannot be reliably identified.
The release has sparked debate in political circles with some critics questioning its timing and suggesting it may divert attention from other pressing issues facing the administration.
Supporters, however have welcomed the move as a step toward greater government transparency.
Lawmakers Tim Burchett and Anna Paulina Luna, both advocates for UFO file disclosure, praised the decision and indicated that further declassifications could follow within the next 30 days.
Investigative journalist Leslie Kean, known for her reporting on UAP programs, said the latest release underscores the volume of government-held data on unexplained aerial phenomena.
However, she emphasized that the existence of such reports does not confirm extraterrestrial origins, noting that the true nature of these phenomena remains unknown.
The latest disclosure adds to decades of global interest in UFOs, offering broader public access to historical records while leaving fundamental questions unanswered.
