UFO files: Plasma orbs a focus in third tranche of documents

Avi Loeb responds to reporter questions about recently declassified U.S. UAP files and their significance for the public and scientific community.

New UAP files suggest that China and Russia may have recovered objects, with Avi Loeb expressing optimism that further data will clarify the situation.

The Debrief analyzes the Pentagon's third batch of released UAP files, examining what the PURSUE releases reveal about the UAP issue and public attitudes.

Metabunk forum thread discussing the third batch of declassified UAP files released on June 12, 2026, containing 72 new records from multiple agencies including FBI, CIA, Department of War, and NASA.

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.

President Trump said he is not a big believer in UFOs but that the topic is among the questions he is asked most often in private conversations. He reportedly referenced Air Force pilots describing 'strange' sightings while in the air. The excerpt does not give dates, locations, or specific details of those sightings.

Journalist Ross Coulthart answers reader questions in a NewsNation Q&A covering UFO crashes, the 'face on Mars,' and the US midterm elections. The excerpt indicates he addresses whether the Trump administration is hesitating on UFO disclosure. The excerpt does not provide specific claims or evidence for any of these topics.

Multiple advocates for UAP disclosure were elected in 2026 midterm elections across both major political parties, suggesting continued Congressional interest in transparency regarding unidentified anomalous phenomena.

NewsNation's Reality Check episode features an interview with Dr. Randy Bostick, a physicist and former science advisor to the Pentagon's All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO), discussing the agency's work investigating unidentified anomalous phenomena. The conversation took place at the Scientific Coalition for UAP Studies conference in Toronto.