President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Friday declassified dozens of files related to alleged UFO sightings and extraterrestrial life, saying the move is intended to provide "unprecedented transparency" to the American public.
The disclosure of the long-sought documents and photos of "unidentified anomalous phenomena" will be followed by future releases as more materials are declassified, the U.S. Defense Department said in a statement. The roughly 170 files include a 1947 report of "flying discs" as well as a photo of "unidentified phenomena” taken from the moon’s surface during the Apollo 12 lunar mission in 1969 and a transcript of the Apollo 17 crew describing unidentified objects seen from the moon in 1972.
Apollo 17 mission pilot Ronald Evans reported "a few very bright particles or fragments or something that go drifting by as we maneuver," based on the transcript.
"Roger. Understand,” mission control replied.
"These files, hidden behind classifications, have long fueled justified speculation - and it's time the American people see it for themselves," Hegseth said in a statement.
