Dr. Phil McGraw has voiced concerns regarding the U.S. government's approach to disclosing information about unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP), commonly known as UFOs. McGraw, who has ties to members of Congress on issues of transparency, stated that while he believes President Trump is committed to disclosure, the execution by government agencies falls short.
"I think the President is fully committed to wanting transparency, but I think his intention and what's getting bureaucratically executed are two very different things," McGraw told the Daily Mail. He cited the recent release of documents and videos by the Pentagon as an example of insufficient transparency.
One such release included six videos of UAP encounters captured by Special Operations forces on an AC-130J gunship in September 2021 over the Gulf of Oman. The accompanying report indicated that forces observed approximately 25 instances of UAPs during a live fire exercise, but provided limited additional details. McGraw described this as the fifth "tranche of information" released without adequate context or follow-up.
"This is the fifth tranche of information they've put out," McGraw said. "There's not any context to this. There's very seldom any follow-up information."
McGraw suggested that the pattern of releasing information without context might not be accidental. He indicated that members of Congress have shared concerns with him about the potential societal impact, particularly concerning mental health, if evidence of non-human life or technology were revealed. He noted that information is highly fragmented within the government, with no single entity possessing all the details.
This fragmentation has led to speculation among some lawmakers that crucial information might be held by the private aerospace industry, potentially to circumvent Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests. McGraw believes that some individuals in Washington suspect that recovered UAP technology, with its advanced propulsion systems and energy sources, may be housed and managed by private companies.
"There are a lot of people who believe that [additional information is] in the possession of private aerospace companies, not the government, in terms of physically holding it and housing it," McGraw stated. "And I think there are senators and representatives that want to know… There are people on the Hill who believe that that's been done."
McGraw also questioned why high-definition footage and clear radar readouts, which he claims exist, are not being released to the public. Instead, he observed, "stepped-down, degraded videos" are being provided.
Another possible explanation for the nature of the disclosures, according to McGraw, is a deliberate distraction campaign. He suggested that by releasing information incrementally without significant impact, the public might become desensitized, leading to a loss of interest.
McGraw's primary concern centers on public health and the potential psychological impact of a UAP disclosure. He noted that current mental health systems are already strained by high levels of anxiety and depression, especially among young people. He posited that a sudden revelation of non-human intelligence could trigger a mental health crisis akin to a pandemic, affecting millions and requiring significant preparedness.
"When we have the highest levels of anxiety and depression, and loneliness among our young people that we've ever had since we started keeping records, our mental health system is fully deployed," McGraw said. "If all of a sudden, 10 percent of the population really had a problem with [disclosure of non-human life] and really needed help with it that could be 20 or 30 million people. It could be like a pandemic. I think it's important that we think about that ahead of time and be prepared."