Whether you call them UFOs or UAPs — unidentified anomalous phenomena — there’s no doubt plenty of people are curious about what else may be out there.
Earlier this year, Congressional hearings about UFOs pushed extraterrestrials back into the spotlight.
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In February, President Trump directed several federal agencies to “begin the process of identifying and releasing Government files related to alien and extraterrestrial life.”
The first files were released May 8 at war.gov/ufo.
President Trump orders release of files ‘related to alien and extraterrestrial life’
In a post on TruthSocial in February 2026, Trump said:
“Based on the tremendous interest shown, I will be directing the Secretary of War, and other relevant Departments and Agencies, to begin the process of identifying and releasing Government files related to alien and extraterrestrial life, unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP), and unidentified flying objects (UFOs), and any and all other information connected to these highly complex, but extremely interesting and important, matters.”
‘Never-before-seen files’ on UAPs posted by War Department
On May 8, the U.S. Department of War announced the initial release of “new, never-before-seen files on Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP) as part of the Presidential Unsealing and Reporting System for UAP Encounters (PURSUE).”
Additional files will be released by the Department of War on a rolling basis, the agency said.
UFO website combines files from several government agencies
“The American people can now access the federal government’s declassified UAP files instantly. The latest UAP videos, photos, and original source documents from across the entire United States government are all in one place — no clearance required,” according to the Department of Defense (also called the War Department by the Trump administration) news release.
“While all of the files have been reviewed for security purposes, many of the materials have not yet been analyzed for resolution of any anomalies,” the agency said.
Make up your own mind about aliens after reviewing government ‘alien’ files
“While past administrations sought to discredit or dissuade the American people, President Trump is focused on providing maximum transparency to the public, who can ultimately make up their own minds about the information contained in these files,” the defense department said.
“These files, hidden behind classifications, have long fueled justified speculation — and it’s time the American people see it for themselves,” said Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth.
How can I see declassified UFO files, photos, video?
To see the files, photos and images on unidentified anomalous phenomena, go to war.gov/ufo/.
The initial release of files May 8 has 17 pages of documents.
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While locations for all aren’t listed, some are, including some from Apollo 12 and Apollo 17 moon missions.
How likely are you to spot UFO in Florida?
In a report looking at UFO hotspots across the U.S., Florida ranked fifth among states in the country with the most UFO sightings, according to casino.ca/ufo-hotspots-us-ca.
UFO sightings per person:
According to the National UFO Reporting Center, there have been 8,871 reported UFO sightings in Florida in records dating back to 1995.
This story has been updated to include new information.
Cheryl McCloud is a journalist for the USA TODAY Network-Florida’s service journalism Connect team. You can get all of Florida’s best content directly in your inbox each weekday day by signing up for the free newsletter, Florida TODAY, at https://floridatoday.com/newsletters.
This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Are aliens real? US releases declassified ‘UFO’ files, photos
Reporting by Cheryl McCloud, Florida Today / Florida Today
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
