May 8 (Reuters) – United States President Donald Trump and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth on Friday released dozens of previously classified files on alleged UFO sightings and alien and extraterrestrial life to offer what they called ‘unprecedented transparency’ to the American people.
The release of the long-sought documents and photos of ‘unidentified anomalous phenomena’ will be followed by future releases as more materials are declassified, the US Department of Defense said in a statement.
The about 170 files included a photo of ‘unidentified phenomena’ taken from the Moon’s surface during the Apollo 12 lunar mission in 1969 and a transcript from the Apollo 17 crew describing unidentified objects seen from the Moon in 1972.
In a transcript of the Apollo 17 mission, pilot Ronald Evans reported ‘some very bright particles or fragments or something moving around as we maneuvered.’
‘Understood. Understood,’ mission control responded.
“These files, hidden behind classifications, have long fueled justified speculation — and it’s time for the American people to see for themselves,” Hegseth said in a statement.
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The release of the records will likely fuel a new debate about government secrecy and the possible existence of life in the cosmos.
“While previous administrations have failed to be transparent on this issue, with these new documents and videos, the people can decide for themselves: ‘WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?'” Trump said in a statement. ‘Have fun and enjoy!’
The measure was welcomed by Deputies Tim Burchett and Anna Paulina Luna, both supporters of the declassification of UFO files. Luna said an additional tranche of material was expected in about 30 days.
Some critics called the UFO revelations a distraction from Trump’s political problems, including the unpopular U.S. military campaign against Iran and public pressure to release more files linked to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
‘I don’t really care about the UFO files. I just don’t care. I’m so tired of the ‘look at the shiny object’ propaganda,” former congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene wrote in X.
