The question is no longer whether UAP disclosure will happen, but what specific forces are driving it forward right now.
The November 13, 2024 House Oversight hearing titled "Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena: Exposing the Truth" delivered the most significant congressional testimony since David Grusch's July 2023 appearance. Former AATIP director Luis Elizondo testified under oath that "UAP are real" and that "advanced technologies not made by our government—or any other government—are monitoring sensitive military installations around the globe." Elizondo confirmed the United States is "in possession of UAP technologies" and described "a multi-decade, secretive arms race."
Perhaps more explosive was journalist Michael Shellenberger's revelation of "Immaculate Constellation"—an alleged unacknowledged Special Access Program created in 2017 to collect and quarantine UAP imagery intelligence. The 12-page whistleblower document was entered into the Congressional Record by Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC), who warned: "If I say 'Immaculate Constellation,' I'll be on some list. Maybe a FISA warrant. So come at me, bro, I guess." The Pentagon denied any record of such a program.
Rep. Eric Burlison (R-MO) released never-before-seen footage showing an MQ-9 Reaper drone launching a Hellfire missile at a bright spherical object off Yemen's coast on October 30, 2024. The object appeared to continue traveling after impact—what investigative journalist George Knapp described as the missile "smacking into that UFO and just bouncing right off."
Six days later, on November 19, 2024, new AARO Director Jon Kosloski testified before the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee chaired by Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY). Kosloski—a 20-year NSA veteran with expertise in optics and crypto-mathematics—acknowledged: "There are interesting cases that I, with my physics and engineering background and time in the intelligence community, I do not understand."
The Pentagon's All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office released two major reports in 2024 that simultaneously claimed comprehensive transparency while acknowledging significant unknowns. The March 2024 Historical Record Report reviewed U.S. government UAP investigations from 1945 to October 2023, concluding there was "no empirical evidence" of extraterrestrial technology. The report notably revealed that the Air Force deliberately spread fake UFO stories during the Cold War to conceal weapons programs, including an Air Force colonel planting false flying saucer photos near Area 51.
The November 14, 2024 annual report documented 757 new UAP cases (May 2023-June 2024), bringing AARO's total caseload to over 1,600 incidents. Of these, 118 cases were resolved to prosaic explanations—70% balloons, 16% drones, 8% birds—while 21 cases remain unexplained and designated for further analysis. Three reports described military pilots being "trailed or shadowed" by UAP, and two documented flight safety concerns.
Former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Christopher Mellon published an extensive critique of AARO's methodology in April 2024, calling the historical report "seriously flawed" for failing to substantively engage with whistleblower allegations.
The legislative push for UAP transparency has met fierce resistance from what advocates call "a powerful few in Congress." On July 11, 2024, Senators Mike Rounds (R-SD) and Chuck Schumer (D-NY) reintroduced the UAP Disclosure Act, co-sponsored by Marco Rubio and Kirsten Gillibrand. The ambitious legislation proposed establishing an independent UAP Records Review Board, creating a UAP Records Collection at the National Archives, requiring public disclosure within 25 years unless the President certifies national security exemption, and authorizing $20 million for implementation.
For the second consecutive year, most key provisions were stripped during NDAA conference negotiations. What survived was the requirement for federal agencies to transfer UAP records to the National Archives by September 30, 2025—Record Group 615 has been established specifically for this purpose.
In 2025, Rep. Tim Burchett (R-TN) introduced the UAP Whistleblower Protection Act, while Rep. Eric Burlison submitted a new UAP Disclosure Act as an amendment to the FY2026 NDAA. The legislative battle continues, with Schumer filing Senate Amendment 3111 in July 2025. It's worth watching which political figures might champion disclosure in the 2028 election cycle.
The national security dimension of UAP was underscored by confirmed drone incursions at America's most sensitive military facilities. From December 6-23, 2023, Langley Air Force Base experienced 17 consecutive nights of swarm activity—up to a dozen drones each night, some estimated at 20 feet long, flying at 3,000-4,000 feet altitude at speeds exceeding 100 mph. Night training for the base's F-22 Raptors was canceled; Langley is now seeking bids for anti-drone nets to protect its hangars.
Pentagon spokesperson Sabrina Singh confirmed the incursions in October 2024, noting the objects "didn't appear to exhibit any hostile intent." Similar swarms were reported at Edwards Air Force Base in Nevada. The military's Falcon Peak 2025 counter-drone experiment was launched in direct response.
In late November-December 2024, the "New Jersey drone panic" captured national attention when thousands of residents reported large unidentified aerial objects over the Northeast. The FBI received 6,000+ tips, with 100 warranting further investigation. The Pentagon stated the objects were "not from foreign adversaries, not U.S. government"—leaving their origin unexplained.
Jake Barber, a former Air Force contractor and helicopter pilot, emerged publicly in January 2025 via NewsNation with claims of participating in UAP crash retrieval operations. Barber described recovering an "egg-shaped" white object the size of an SUV with no engine or thermal signature. In February 2025, the Pentagon confirmed AARO is investigating his allegations. Barber now leads "Skywatcher," an independent UAP investigation team working with AARO.
David Grusch's post-testimony path took an unexpected turn. In March 2025, Rep. Burlison announced Grusch had been hired as a Special Advisor to assist with UAP transparency efforts and the Task Force on Declassification of Federal Secrets—a four-month position. Grusch had previously met with AARO for what sources described as "a long conversation," though details remain unclear.
NASA's UAP research efforts have stalled significantly since 2023. Director of UAP Research Mark McInerney's detail assignment ended in September 2024; the position remains vacant. Former UAP Study Team member Mike Gold confirmed in early 2025: "We have no one working UAP, at least explicitly at the agency."
Meanwhile, Harvard's Galileo Project under Dr. Avi Loeb has expanded operations. The project collected data on half a million aerial objects during its first observatory's commissioning in early 2024, receiving a $575,000 grant from the Richard King Mellon Foundation for a third observatory in Pennsylvania. In September 2024, a new observatory was installed atop the Las Vegas Sphere. The project also published significant findings in Chemical Geology on spherules recovered from an interstellar meteor impact site.
The AIAA (American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics) established a formal UAP Integration and Outreach Committee chaired by former Navy pilot Ryan Graves, holding technical sessions at its July 2024 Aviation Forum. University researchers published peer-reviewed UAP studies in Progress in Aerospace Sciences, Scientific Reports, and Acta Astronautica—signaling growing academic legitimization.
Japan made the most significant international move, establishing a parliamentary UAP investigation group on June 6, 2024. The "Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Clarification League" is chaired by former Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada, with former Environment Minister Shinjiro Koizumi serving as Secretary-General. Christopher Mellon addressed the inaugural meeting virtually.
France's GEIPAN remains the world's longest-running government UAP program, operating since 1977. Under new director Frédéric Courtade, the agency hosted the second CAIPAN international conference in October 2024 in Toulouse, drawing attendees from 13 countries. GEIPAN classifies 3.3% of cases as UAP D—unidentified after investigation.
The Sol Foundation held symposiums in San Francisco (November 2024) and Lake Maggiore, Italy (October 2025), the latter representing the first international UAP symposium outside the United States. Project Titan is proposing San Marino host a UN-backed World Conference on UAP, potentially making the microstate the "Geneva of UFOs."
The documentary "The Age of Disclosure" premiered at SXSW in March 2025 before releasing on Amazon Prime Video on November 21, 2025. The film features 34 current and former senior officials including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Senator Gillibrand, and former DNI James Clapper. Former UAPTF director Jay Stratton states on camera: "I have seen, with my own eyes, non-human craft and non-human beings." The documentary is eligible for the 98th Academy Awards.
Netflix released "Investigation Alien" in November 2024, a six-episode docuseries hosted by Peabody Award-winning journalist George Knapp exploring UAP phenomena globally. Amazon's "The Program" (December 2024), directed by James Fox, features NASA Administrator Bill Nelson and Christopher Mellon.
Luis Elizondo's memoir "Imminent: Inside the Pentagon's Hunt for UFOs" debuted at #1 on the New York Times Bestseller List following its August 2024 release. Elizondo appeared on Joe Rogan Experience #2194, one of at least 17 UAP-related episodes featuring guests including Garry Nolan, Jacques Vallée, Hal Puthoff, James Fox, and Rep. Anna Paulina Luna in 2024-2025.
Some question whether Hollywood's involvement—particularly from figures like Steven Spielberg—represents genuine disclosure momentum or carefully managed cultural preparation.
Polling data shows sustained public interest and belief. A September 2024 YouGov survey found 53% of Americans believe aliens "definitely or probably exist," with 24% reporting they have personally witnessed a UFO. Only 39% believe alien contact won't happen in the next 50 years—down from 69% in earlier Pew polling.
The RealClear Opinion Research 2024 survey found 56.9% of Americans believe in aliens. Gallup tracking shows belief that some UFO sightings involve alien visitors rose to 41%, while 68% consistently believe the government knows more than it's telling.
The disclosure push is driven by a bipartisan coalition. On the legislative side, Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Sen. Marco Rubio (now Secretary of State), and Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD) anchor Senate efforts, while Rep. Tim Burchett (R-TN), Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL), Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC), and Rep. Eric Burlison (R-MO) lead House investigations.
Among former officials, Luis Elizondo and Christopher Mellon remain the most visible advocates. Mellon warned at a May 2025 Sol Foundation event: "The world is not ready for what the disclosure will reveal." Journalists Ross Coulthart (NewsNation) and George Knapp continue breaking major stories, while Stanford's Dr. Garry Nolan and Harvard's Dr. Avi Loeb provide scientific credibility.
The 2024-2025 period represents the most significant sustained pressure on government UAP secrecy in history. What distinguishes this moment is the convergence of multiple legitimizing forces: bipartisan Congressional action, military acknowledgment of unexplained cases, peer-reviewed scientific research, mainstream documentary production, and credentialed new whistleblowers.
The Pentagon's simultaneous claims of transparency ("no evidence of extraterrestrials") and acknowledgment of the unknown (21 "true anomalies") creates tension that advocates are exploiting. With the National Archives UAP Records Collection deadline approaching in September 2025 and new whistleblower protections in legislative pipelines, the disclosure movement has structural momentum that previous waves lacked.
Whether this results in definitive answers or continued institutional resistance remains the central question heading into 2026. But one thing's certain: the disclosure triggers are firing at an unprecedented rate, and the old mechanisms for maintaining secrecy are visibly straining under the pressure.
