White House Plans Release of UAP Files

The United States government began releasing classified and previously classified records on Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP) in 2026. The disclosures involved the White House, the Director of National Intelligence, the Energy Department, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Pentagon.

Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena

Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena is the official term used by the United States government for objects or events in the sky, in space, or under water that remain unexplained after analysis. The term replaced the earlier public usage of Unidentified Flying Objects (UFOs) in many official documents and programmes.

Key Government Bodies Involved

The All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) is the Pentagon office responsible for collecting and analysing UAP reports. The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy released documents in April 2026, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration has also been part of the inter-agency effort.

• The Pentagon began releasing new UAP files on 8 May 2026.
• The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy released documents dated from 2012 to 2026 on 29 April 2026.
• The released material included sensor data from Navy F/A-18 Super Hornets.
• The files also included a 2019 memorandum on UAP crash retrieval programmes.

Official Records and Research Framework

AARO announced plans on 26 February 2026 to standardise the collection and analysis of UAP reports. The office also planned greater collaboration with civilian researchers after an August 2025 workshop in Washington, D.C., which included 40 participants from government, academia, and independent research organisations.

Important Facts for Exams

• The term UAP is used in official United States government documents for unexplained aerial and related phenomena.
• AARO functions under the United States Department of Defence.
• The White House registered the domain names alien.gov and aliens.gov in March 2026.
• AARO’s March 2024 historical record report found no empirical evidence of alien technology.

Recent Administrative Actions

On 19 February 2026, President Donald Trump directed federal agencies to begin identifying and releasing records related to alien and extraterrestrial life and UAPs. On 30 April 2026, he stated that the government would soon release classified UFO files.

Historical Context of UAP Studies

UAP investigations in the United States have involved military pilots, sensor data, and inter-agency review for several decades. The March 2024 AARO report was titled Report on the Historical Record of U.S. Government Involvement with Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP) Volume I.