Dr. Phil McGraw has accused the U.S. government of perpetuating an "80-year lie" regarding unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP), formerly known as UFOs. In a video released recently, McGraw asserted that the government has withheld information about unexplainable encounters and potential extraterrestrial contact.
McGraw highlighted that over 1,800 reports of UAPs, classified as "Tier 1" by the National UFO Reporting Center (NUFORC) for being difficult to explain as mundane phenomena, have reportedly been ignored by the Pentagon. He expressed frustration that despite a White House-led disclosure campaign, these significant public reports appear to have been uninvestigated and are absent from official government releases.
"The point is nobody in the government is even looking at these things," McGraw stated, questioning the value of the ongoing disclosure efforts if substantial public reports are overlooked. He criticized the government's approach, suggesting it amounts to a "giant lie" intended to keep the truth about UAPs from the public.
The disclosure campaign, initiated by an order from former President Trump in February, has led to the release of five batches of files from agencies including the FBI, CIA, NASA, and the Pentagon. However, McGraw and others have criticized these releases for containing vague information, unrelated content, or obscure images that do not constitute clear proof.
McGraw further claimed that 93 percent of Americans, totaling over 310 million people, lack an official channel to report UAP sightings to the government or military. He stated that only current or former federal employees, military service members, government contractors, and pilots have the ability to file reports directly with the federal government. The Pentagon's All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) confirmed that reporting is currently limited to these groups, with plans to expand to the general public in the future.
"There is not one government agency that lets everyday Americans report UAPs," McGraw said. He pointed to NUFORC and the Mutual UFO Network (MUFON) as the only avenues for the public to submit reports. "Eighty years of 'trust us' has gotten us nowhere. I don't trust them about this at all," the television host concluded.