During a recent congressional hearing, a former military intelligence officer-turned-whistleblower shed light on the government’s secrecy surrounding Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAPs) or UFOs. David Grusch, a former intelligence officer with 14 years of service in the Air Force and National Geospatial Intelligence Agency, testified before the House Oversight Committee’s national security subcommittee, alongside two former fighter pilots who had firsthand experiences with UAPs.
Grusch had been a representative on two Pentagon task forces dedicated to investigating UAPs until earlier this year. He revealed that he had uncovered information about a long-running UAP crash retrieval and reverse-engineering program during his classified work. Shockingly, he claimed that his requests for access to these programs were denied, and he accused the military of misusing funds to keep these operations hidden from congressional scrutiny. Grusch also stated that he had interviewed officials with direct knowledge of aircraft of “nonhuman” origin and mentioned the recovery of “biologics” from some of these craft.
Members of both political parties questioned how Congress should proceed in investigating these startling claims, indicating a growing demand for transparency from the executive branch regarding UAPs.
Representative Tim Burchett from Tennessee emphasized the need to uncover any cover-up, expressing hope that this hearing marked just the beginning of further investigations and more individuals coming forward on this issue.
The UAP matter has gained significant attention in recent years, with the release of several videos showing encounters with seemingly unconventional objects moving at high speeds through the air without apparent propulsion.
The Pentagon’s All-Domain Anomaly Resolution Office, established by Congress to investigate these incidents, has reviewed approximately 800 reports of UAPs as of May. While many cases have been explained as innocuous, a substantial number remain unexplained, leading lawmakers to suspect that the military possesses more information than it has shared with Congress.
Sue Gough, a spokesperson for the All-Domain Anomaly Resolution Office, denied the existence of any verified information supporting claims of past or current programs involving the possession or reverse engineering of extraterrestrial materials. She also asserted the department’s commitment to timely and comprehensive reporting to Congress.
Testimonies from Witnesses at the UAP/UFO Hearing
In addition to David Grusch, the congressional panel heard from Ryan Graves, a former Navy pilot who had previously reported UAP encounters during training missions, and David Fravor, who witnessed a large object in the famous “Tic Tac” video during a 2004 flight off the California coast.
All three witnesses concurred that the existing reporting systems are inadequate for investigating UAP encounters and that a stigma still exists for pilots and officials who seek greater transparency regarding their experiences.
Ryan Graves, stationed as an F-18 pilot in Virginia Beach in 2014, recalled his squadron’s initial detection of unknown objects, describing them as “dark grey or black cubes within a clear sphere.” He recounted an incident in which an object of 5 to 15 feet in diameter flew between two F-18s, approaching within 50 feet of the aircraft. At the time, there was no formal acknowledgment of the incident or a way to report it.
Graves stressed that UAP encounters were not isolated or rare occurrences, urging authorities to put aside the stigma and address the security and safety implications of these incidents.
David Fravor recounted his 2004 encounter with an object off the California coast, describing how it hovered above the water before rapidly ascending about 12,000 feet and then disappearing. It was later detected approximately 60 miles away. Fravor emphasized that the object’s capabilities far exceeded any known material science or technology, making it an urgent national security concern or a matter for scientific investigation. In either case, he stressed that unidentified objects pose a significant flight safety risk, and the American public deserves to know what is happening in our skies.
Congress Pushes for Transparency on UAPs/UFOs
The recent hearing reflects a growing willingness among lawmakers to demand greater transparency from military and intelligence agencies regarding these mysterious incidents. Many members of Congress cited concerns about potential national security threats posed by unidentified objects in or near U.S. airspace.
A bipartisan group of senators, led by Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, introduced an amendment to the annual defense spending bill aimed at compelling executive branch agencies to release UAP records to a review board with a presumption of immediate disclosure. Agencies would be required to provide justifications for keeping records classified.
Last summer, a different House panel held the first open hearing on this issue in over 50 years, where Pentagon officials provided testimony. At the recent hearing, lawmakers from both parties expressed frustration over their inability to obtain information on UAPs from military and intelligence agencies. They decried a system of excessive classification that shields incident reports from public view.
Democratic Representative Jared Moskowitz of Florida stressed the need for immediate disclosure, while GOP Representative Glenn Grothman, the subcommittee’s chairman, indicated that legislation may emerge from these hearings to address the matter confidentially.