Hegseth doubles-down on Trump’s UAP disclosure promise as AARO’s caseload exceeds 2,000

AARO released a classified military infrared video from March 2025 depicting multiple spherical objects tracked near a submarine in a location not specified but assessed to be military platform-derived. The video shows at least three distinct transit events of areas of contrast over approximately 4 minutes 50 seconds. The uploader's title suggests the objects transition in and out of water. Chain of custody is unsubstantiated, and AARO provides no analytical assessment of the claim.

A serving senior U.S. intelligence official provided a first-hand account in May 2026 of investigating unusual phenomena at a sensitive U.S. military facility in late 2025, describing encounters with unidentified glowing orbs at close and distant ranges from a helicopter vantage point, as well as a high-speed low-altitude object that appeared to split and accelerate in two directions. The account is accompanied by infrared imagery captured by federal officials on the ground during the same event, with materials originally released on war.gov/UFO on 8 May 2026. The official's assessment of object proximity and behavior is based on direct observation but remains unverified by independent analysis.

AARO released a lengthy classified military infrared video allegedly depicting objects over the Persian Gulf, likely from a U.S. military platform in the CENTCOM area of responsibility. The 17-minute 36-second video shows a single area of contrast that becomes difficult to distinguish from background noise, requiring multiple sensor contrast adjustments. AARO did not provide analytical judgment, and chain of custody is unsubstantiated.

AARO released a 46-second classified military infrared video from February 2023 allegedly depicting a U.S. Air Force F-16C shooting down an unidentified object over Lake Huron using an unspecified weapon system. At the 20-second mark, the footage shows two distinct areas of contrast, with the initial subject fragmenting in a radial displacement pattern consistent with a high-energy event. Chain of custody is unsubstantiated, and AARO provides no analytical judgment or confirmation of the incident.

The Pentagon released a new batch of declassified UFO files on Friday, May 8, according to Space.com. The release includes nearly 30 videos showing objects described as a football-shaped body and a misshapen, uneven ball of white light. The files follow earlier public UAP disclosures by the US government, including releases associated with the Pentagon's AARO office. The excerpt does not state the year of release, the recording dates, locations, or the sensors and units that captured the footage. Independent verification of what the objects are remains unresolved, and the excerpt reports no official conclusions about them.

DefenseScoop reports that the Pentagon has offered a new targeted legal waiver for UAP whistleblowers supporting Trump's PURSUE work. According to the excerpt, the waiver authorizes covered disclosures to PURSUE representatives without triggering standard nondisclosure agreement violations.

DefenseScoop reports that AARO seeks access to large private UFO records collections, specifically pre-1990 archives. The effort is described as part of its work to meet a congressional call to review US government UAP involvement since 1945.

DefenseScoop reports that the Pentagon's All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office is investigating a UAP event reported by the Navy near Virginia's coast. The article ties the investigation to AARO's latest annual UAP caseload analysis, released that week. The excerpt gives no details about the event itself.

Avi Loeb shared early details of a new UAP Science Advisory Council intended to help the US government resolve the UAP mystery. The council is reported by DefenseScoop as a newly formed advisory body. The excerpt provides limited detail on its membership, mandate, or timeline.