Witnesses Tell Congress Pentagon Cover-Up of UFOs Hurts National Security

In 1947, a local paper based in Roswell, New Mexico, reported on an Army Air Field's press release that it had recovered a "flying saucer" in the region. The service quickly retracted, but the incident resurfaced in 1978 after a retired lieutenant colonel said the government was covering something up, leading to the iconic conspiracy theory.

A former US Air Force intelligence officer told the House Oversight and Accountability Committee national security subcommittee on Wednesday that the Pentagon is hiding “a multi-decade UAP crash retrieval and reverse-engineering program.”

UAP, or Unexplained Aerial Phenomenon, is the Pentagon’s chosen phrase to describe unidentified flying objects (UFOs).

Two former fighter pilots also spoke to the subcommittee, one of whom was identified as retired Major David Grusch, who stated he discovered the program after being tasked to investigate UAP/UFOs. However, when he asked for access to them, he was denied by the higher-ups.

Last month, Grusch did a series of media interviews where he said the US government is in possession of crafts of “non-human” origin, and that some of the crafts’ pilots have been recovered.

At the Wednesday hearing, Grusch said some “biologics” were recovered from an unexplained vessel. When asked if the government had evidence of extraterrestrial life, he responded that it likely has since the 1930s.

Grusch during his testimony further accused the US military of misappropriating funds to shield the programs from congressional oversight.

“Do you think US corporations are overly overcharging for certain tech they're selling to the US government, and that additional money is going to programs?” asked Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-FL). Grusch responded, “Correct.”

Grusch told the subcommittee regardless of origin, the objects are a threat to national security, a sentiment reiterated by former fighter pilot Ryan Graves, who previously outlined first-hand experiences he had with UAPs on US national television.

"If everyone could see the sensor and video data I witnessed, our national conversation would change," Graves said. "I urge us to put aside stigma and address the security and safety issue this topic represents. If UAP are foreign drones, it is an urgent national security problem. If it is something else, it is an issue for science. In either case, unidentified objects are a concern for flight safety. The American people deserve to know what is happening in our skies. It is long overdue."

During the hearing, Graves underscored the Pentagon discourages reporting, exacerbating the problem. He said he believes only 5% of UAP sightings by military and commercial pilots are reported because of the stigma surrounding them.

Graves added that had the object attacked his fighter jet, he would "absolutely not" have been able to defend himself.

The Defense Department has denied Grusch’s most substantial accusations. Pentagon spokesperson Sue Gough said in a statement that investigators have not found “any verifiable information to substantiate claims that any programs regarding the possession or reverse-engineering of extraterrestrial materials have existed in the past or exist currently.”

However, Grusch has stated he faced retaliation for blowing the whistle on the alleged programs, though he declined to offer details while an investigation is ongoing. “It was very brutal and very unfortunate, some of the tactics they used to hurt me both professionally and personally,” he said.

Former Navy pilot David Fravor added that the US government is too quick to classify evidence of UAPs.

“They’re overclassified, and as soon as they do that they go in a vault and then you all [Congress] have to look for them,” he said.

US Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) asked Grusch where she should look to find more information, to which he said he would tell her in a closed setting but cannot during a public hearing.

Grusch added that UAP sightings are not rare among pilots.

“These sightings are not rare or isolated. They are routine. Military aircrew and commercial pilots, trained observers whose lives depend on accurate identification, are frequently witnessing these phenomena,” he said.

What Comes Next?

The US representatives appeared to find the witnesses credible, and lawmakers from both parties asked witnesses questions with interest. Tim Burchett (R-TN) indicated he agreed the government’s lack of transparency amounts to a cover-up.

“The devil has been in our way through this thing. We’ve run into roadblocks from members from the intelligence community, the Pentagon,” Burchett said. “We need to tell the folks at the Pentagon, they work for [the] US government. We can’t trust a government that does not trust his people.”

Burchett also said the hearing would be the “first of many,” and that they will help reveal the “cover-up.”

Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL) commented that a group of bipartisan lawmakers would speak to the witnesses in a closed meeting to discuss confidential information.

As for Rep. Glenn Grothman (R-WI) said that transparency is critical to representative governments. “We are not just debating the existence of UAPs. We’re deliberating on the principles that define our republic, which is a commitment to transparency and accountability,” he said, adding that the Biden administration was not transparent about the Chinese balloon incident from February.

In his closing remarks, Grothman called the hearing illuminating, and that he expected Congress to take action: “I assume some legislation will come out of this.”