President Donald Trump issued a February 2026 directive directing federal agencies, including the Department of War and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, to identify and declassify government records on unidentified anomalous phenomena, unidentified aerial phenomena, and extraterrestrial matters. This led to the initial public release of more than 160 files, videos, and historical documents on May 8, 2026, under the new Presidential Unsealing and Reporting System for UAP Encounters. Officials described the effort as an ongoing interagency process, with additional tranches scheduled on a rolling basis every few weeks following review of decades-old records. Congressional interest from members focused on transparency has aligned with these steps, while the administration has emphasized maximum public access without confirming extraterrestrial origins.