President Donald Trump has instructed federal agencies to waive non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) for former government employees and contractors who possess information relevant to unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP) investigations. The directive targets individuals who may have been hesitant to come forward due to prior secrecy obligations.
The initiative empowers the Pentagon's All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) and the president's UAP task force, known as PURSUE, to allow individuals to share information without fear of violating their agreements. This process is not a declassification directive but rather an effort to remove perceived legal obstacles that might prevent witnesses from cooperating with government investigators.
Administration officials emphasized that the move is intended to facilitate the collection of any potentially significant information related to unexplained UAP incidents. Information obtained through this process will be subject to existing declassification procedures, with the stated goal of making relevant findings public.
NDAs are common for individuals with access to classified information or sensitive national security programs. These agreements typically prohibit unauthorized disclosure of information and can remain in effect after an individual leaves government service, with potential consequences including loss of security clearances, civil penalties, or criminal prosecution.
The directive builds upon previous efforts by the Trump administration to declassify government records concerning UAPs. Past releases have included accounts of unexplained sightings reported by military personnel and others, as well as footage and descriptions of objects exhibiting unusual characteristics.
Recent disclosures have included infrared footage of a star-shaped object over the Yellow Sea in January 2025 and an FBI rendering of witness accounts describing "orbs launching orbs." The latest tranche of UAP records also contained further details from a 2015 incident near the Pantex nuclear weapons facility in Texas.
Concerns about potential witnesses being reluctant to speak due to secrecy obligations have been raised by lawmakers and whistleblowers for years. Some members of Congress have previously called for granting immunity to individuals who come forward with UAP-related information.
The public's increased interest in UAPs gained momentum in 2017 following reports of a Pentagon program to investigate unexplained aerial encounters. Subsequent congressional hearings and allegations by former intelligence officials regarding concealed UAP programs have intensified calls for transparency. However, the Pentagon has stated that its investigations have not found verified evidence of extraterrestrial technology or the recovery of non-human craft.