Files on UFOs, released Friday, May 8, 2026, by the Pentagon, are photographed in Washington. (Photo: AP)
The US Department of Defense released a new set of files on unidentified flying objects, or what it calls unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAPs), according to ABC News.
The release includes more than 50 videos along with documents and audio records. It is part of an ongoing disclosure ordered by US President Donald Trump.
Officials said over 200 files have now been made public in total.
What exactly the videos show
Some of the videos show objects moving near aircraft and over populated areas. One video from 2024 shows an object flying close to a plane over the southeastern United States. Another shows a spherical object moving over a populated area before rising into the sky.
The Pentagon unveiled another batch of its so-called UFO files on Friday, part of a rolling release of once-classified material ordered released by President Donald Trump. https://t.co/Ez8VWBngFjpic.twitter.com/FqYu762yT5
A separate clip, recorded earlier, appears to show an object moving at high speed.
Account from intelligence officer
One of the documents includes a first-hand account from a senior US intelligence officer who described seeing unusual objects during a mission.
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“Two large orbs flare up,” the officer wrote, describing objects that were “orange with a white or yellow centre, and emitted light in all directions.”
He said fighter jets were sent to identify the objects but could not do so. “We were virtually speechless after these observations,” he added.
In another account cited by the BBC, the officer described “countless orange orbs swarming in all directions” during an encounter that lasted more than an hour.
The Pentagon’s All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office said investigations have found no evidence that the incidents are linked to extraterrestrial activity. However, many cases remain unexplained.
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The newly released files also include older reports. One document covering the period from 1948 to 1950 recorded more than 200 sightings of unexplained objects.
Witnesses described seeing “orbs, discs and fireballs”, according to the BBC. The disclosures follow an order by Trump to release government records on UFOs.
In an earlier statement, he said: “With these new Documents and Videos, the people can decide for themselves… what is going on.”
The Pentagon said some of the material may not have a fully verified chain of custody, meaning its origin cannot be fully confirmed.
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Officials say the releases are aimed at making more information public, while investigations into such sightings continue.
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Files on UFOs, released Friday, May 8, 2026, by the Pentagon, are photographed in Washington. (Photo: AP)
