Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., has asserted that "deep state" bureaucrats are obstructing efforts to disclose information regarding unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP), commonly known as UFOs. Burchett made these claims following a high-level, two-hour meeting at the Pentagon.
Speaking on the "Planet Tyrus" podcast, Burchett stated that unelected defense officials are resisting congressional oversight and keeping executive leadership uninformed. "I'm in a security hearing, and a little punk with a man bun tells me that the president's on a need-to-know basis," Burchett recounted, expressing frustration with the perceived arrogance and control within Washington.
Burchett, who has previously reviewed classified UAP-related materials, also shared accounts from pilots and service members who he claims were pressured to destroy evidence of unidentified objects to avoid professional repercussions. He noted that individuals who reported such encounters sometimes underwent lengthy debriefings and psychological evaluations, which could impact their careers and lead to them being removed from flight duties.
"And they would, they could get pulled from the flight line," Burchett said. "And that's just wrong, man. That's a stigmatizing of anybody. And also it's a cover-up of what the heck's going on. And government does not have the right to decide what I can and cannot handle."
Earlier in the month, the administration released its fourth set of declassified UAP records. These documents included military infrared videos and details about a 2015 incident involving an unidentified object near a primary nuclear weapons assembly facility.
This release is part of an ongoing initiative to increase public access to UAP records while safeguarding sensitive military information. In February, former President Donald Trump publicly directed relevant government agencies to begin identifying and releasing files related to UAPs, UFOs, and extraterrestrial life, citing significant public interest in these matters.