Pentagon Begins Work To Release UFO Files
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Pentagon teams are 'digging in' to identify and release UAP files following President Trump's Feb. 19 directive, with no timeline yet.
Overview
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Monday that Pentagon officials are working to identify and release government files on unidentified anomalous phenomena and will be in "full compliance" with President Trump's directive.
The effort follows President Trump’s Feb. 19 announcement instructing federal agencies to begin releasing such files and renewed public attention after former President Barack Obama discussed extraterrestrial life on Feb. 14.
Hegseth said the department is "digging in," warned against promising a timeline, and said he would review material "along with you," while Rep. Anna Paulina Luna said declassified records will be posted on the National Archives website.
Congress established the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office in 2022, and a 2024 unclassified Pentagon-linked report said many identified cases were ordinary and that AARO found no evidence of extraterrestrial beings, activity, or technology.
Hegseth said the release will be a deliberative process with more to come on procedures, and he acknowledged he had referenced an "Executive Order" though, as of Tuesday, no official directive had been issued.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame the story as procedural transparency and reassurance, emphasizing administration action and national-security caution. Editorial choices highlight Trump’s directive and Hegseth’s quotes (“we’ve got our people working on it,” “I don’t wanna oversell”), foregrounding official steps (AARO, Navy updates) while downplaying skeptical or independent expert scrutiny.
FAQ
On February 19, 2026, President Trump announced he is directing federal agencies, including the Secretary of War, to begin identifying and releasing government files on alien and extraterrestrial life, UAP, UFOs, and related information.
Hegseth stated the Pentagon is working on identifying and releasing UAP files, is in full compliance with Trump's directive, is digging in without promising a timeline, and he will review the material.
Congress established AARO in 2022 to investigate UAPs; a 2024 unclassified Pentagon-linked report from AARO found no evidence of extraterrestrial beings, activity, or technology, attributing many cases to ordinary objects.
The directive followed former President Barack Obama's February 14, 2026, podcast comments suggesting extraterrestrial life exists, which Trump implied was classified information, sparking renewed public interest.
Rep. Anna Paulina Luna stated that declassified records will be posted on the National Archives website.
