PURSUE Initiative UAP Disclosure

Overview

On May 8, 2026, the Trump administration launched PURSUE (Presidential Unsealing and Reporting System for UAP Encounters), a federal initiative directing all U.S. government agencies to systematically review, declassify, and release previously restricted records related to unidentified anomalous phenomena. The program represents an unprecedented commitment to transparency regarding decades of UAP documentation held by the Department of Defense, FBI, CIA, State Department, and the Executive Office of the President.

Implementation and Scope

Operating in phases, PURSUE released the first major tranche on May 8, 2026, with additional releases on May 22 and June 12, 2026. The declassified materials span from historical Project Blue Book archives to recent military reports from 2024-2025, including infrared footage, sensor data, witness statements, and official incident reports from military encounters with unidentified objects.

Key Releases

Included in the PURSUE disclosures were high-altitude Army and Air Force encounters, thermal imaging from western U.S. incidents in September 2025, and military pilot sightings with sensor lock-on data. The Department of the Army submitted official reports to the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO), providing infrared footage and technical analysis of encounters that remained unexplained by conventional means.

Congressional and Public Response

Transparency advocates praised PURSUE as a necessary step toward government accountability. Congress directed the Pentagon to comprehensively brief lawmakers on all UAP intercepts and operations since 2004. Critics questioned whether truly anomalous phenomena were being disclosed versus conventional misidentifications. A June 2026 national survey found strong bipartisan support for continued government transparency on UAP topics.

Significance

PURSUE accelerated disclosure efforts established since 2017, complementing congressional UAP hearings and the creation of dedicated federal offices like AARO. The initiative reflected growing bipartisan congressional interest in UAP oversight and marked a shift toward systematic, publicly-acknowledged government engagement with the phenomenon.