The truth may still be out there, but the Pentagon’s latest UFO files have reignited the public’s fascination with what the government knows about unexplained aerial sightings. In recent years, federal agencies have increasingly used the term “UAP,” or “unidentified anomalous phenomena,” rather than UFOs, but the questions remain the same: Are aliens real, and has the government proven them?
On May 8, 2026, the Ministry of Defence, also known as the Ministry of War as he coined it, was created Donald TrumpThe Trump administration has released a new set of declassified UAP-related documents, photos, and videos as part of an ongoing disclosure initiative associated with the Pentagon’s All-Domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO). The records included decades-old military accounts, FBI reports, astronaut observations, and sightings by drone operators.
However, government officials were careful to note that the files do not confirm the existence of extraterrestrial life. Read on to learn more about the files here.
Where to look for the UFO Files version
The Pentagon’s UFO and UAP records are now published through official government portals associated with the Department of Defense and the National Archives. The Pentagon’s AARO website was created as a central hub for declassified cases, reports, videos, and public updates related to unexplained aerial sightings.
At the same time, the National Archives also maintains a growing UAP records collection that includes documents transferred from agencies such as the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, the Federal Aviation Administration, and the Department of Defense. According to the National Archives, records are added on a “rolling basis” to maximize transparency to the public.
The most recent 2026 version of the document reportedly included more than 160 files covering incidents dating back decades. Some included strange lights seen near military sites, while others showed astronaut texts and reports of unexplained objects moving at unusual speeds.
What did the UFO files prove?
A major 2024 AARO report reviewing nearly 80 years of government investigations concluded that there was “no verifiable evidence” that any reported UAP incident involved alien life or off-world technology. Many of the sightings were eventually identified as drones, satellites or other ordinary objects, officials said.
Are aliens real?
The Pentagon files do not answer the ultimate question of whether there is intelligent life beyond Earth. Despite the excitement over the release of the files, the Pentagon has repeatedly stated that investigators have found no confirmed evidence of extraterrestrial technology or spacecraft.
Scientists widely believe that it is statistically possible that life exists elsewhere in the universe, given the huge number of extraterrestrial planets. However, there is currently no confirmed public evidence that extraterrestrials have visited Earth or that the United States government possesses alien technology.
