Story by Ilgaz Fakıoğlu, Ahmetcan Uzlaşık | Data compiled by Scrolli News Studio
Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP), formerly known as UFOs, have evolved into a phenomenon that resonates far beyond conspiracy theories. In the United States, they are now a subject that influences public opinion, politics, and even belief systems. In recent years, developments surrounding this mystery have gained momentum, drawing even more attention.
New findings, said to be supported by military and government reports, continue to deepen the enigma. What was once dismissed as science fiction has become a matter of national conversation.
In the United States, the first eyewitness reports of UFOs described as cylindrical or cigar-shaped objects began to emerge in the 1910s.
But everything changed after the Roswell incident in 1947. The number of people claiming to witness UFOs spread across the country. Sightings of flying discs increased sharply.
Since the 1950s, reports have become more widespread, covering nearly every region in the United States. Today, the U.S. remains the country with the highest number of UFO sightings in the world.
In recent years, the impact of UAP (formerly known as UFO) sightings has expanded beyond state lines, reaching deep into American politics.
Last week, the latest UFO hearing now officially referred to as UAP, or Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena, was held in the U.S. Congress, bringing the long-debated topic back into the spotlight. The session featured testimony from four witnesses and focused on the Pentagon’s secrecy policies and allegations of potential cover-ups. However, this was not Congress’s first hearing on UFOs. More than a year earlier, another session had raised striking claims about mysterious objects and covert government programs.
In July 2023, during the first high-profile hearing, former Pentagon official David Grusch made headlines with claims that alien spacecraft wreckage had been recovered and studied as part of a “multi-decade program.” According to Grusch, the program had been hidden from congressional oversight for decades. In response, lawmakers demanded greater transparency from the government and called for deeper investigations into UAP phenomena.
At last week’s session, public interest surged once again. Testimony was heard from former Pentagon official Luis Elizondo, retired Navy Admiral Timothy Gallaudet, and journalist Michael Shellenberger.
In his opening remarks, Elizondo declared, “We are not alone in the universe.” He stated that UAP sightings frequently occur near military bases and nuclear facilities, and accused the government of deliberately concealing these incidents. He emphasized that the American public has a right to know the truth.
Another witness, retired Navy Admiral Timothy Gallaudet, testified about events dating back to 2015. He described encounters with unidentified objects during naval operations and emphasized that these incidents were not isolated cases. According to Gallaudet, such phenomena have been consistently observed near sensitive military sites, raising concerns about national security.
Gallaudet claimed that a disinformation campaign is being carried out at the highest levels of the Pentagon. He also stated that Navy pilots are facing serious safety risks due to encounters with UFOs. According to Gallaudet, USOs (Unidentified Submersible Objects) have been observed moving much faster than any American submarine. He further argued that UAPs are likely to be the product of non-human intelligence.
Journalist Michael Shellenberger added that the government is in possession of “hundreds, possibly thousands” of high-resolution images of UAPs. However, he claimed that none of this material has been made available to the public. During the hearing, there was also a call for NASA to increase its investment in UAP research.
There is no shortage of experts and researchers who approach the recent hearing, and the broader UFO debate, with skepticism. Many have criticized the latest UAP session for failing to present concrete evidence despite its bold claims.
Skeptics argue that although witnesses spoke about secret government programs allegedly recovering UFO wreckage and injuries suffered by personnel who encountered UAPs, these claims have yet to be backed by verifiable documents. They point out that the assertions regarding the government holding hundreds of high-resolution images and videos of UAPs remain unproven. The lack of publicly disclosed documentation about these programs is seen as one of the hearing's most significant shortcomings.
At the core of their argument is the Pentagon’s official stance. In a recent statement, the Pentagon confirmed that it has found no verifiable evidence linking UAPs to extraterrestrial life. It also stated that there is no proof of any reverse engineering programs, either in the past or currently underway.
According to Sean Kirkpatrick, former director of the All-Domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO), many conspiracy theories surrounding UFOs are actually the result of misunderstandings about advanced military technologies. AARO, established under the U.S. Department of Defense in 2022, has reviewed several well-known cases, including the Roswell incident. Its findings suggest that these events were not related to extraterrestrial life, but rather to classified projects developed during the Cold War to monitor Soviet nuclear tests.
Kirkpatrick argues that the Roswell incident, in particular, stemmed from the misinterpretation of high-altitude balloons and human-like test dummies. During Cold War operations, these balloons were mistaken by civilians for alien spacecraft. Efforts by the U.S. military to protect these classified technologies may have inadvertently fueled conspiracy theories about the existence of extraterrestrial beings.
Donald Trump, who recently took office as president, has not previously taken a clear stance on UFO disclosure. While Trump is not known for showing much personal interest in extraterrestrial phenomena, his administration’s promises of greater transparency have raised public expectations regarding the release of classified information on UAPs (Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena). This has helped push the UFO debate closer to the center of U.S. political discussions.
For example, Senator Marco Rubio, who is expected to play a key role in foreign affairs under Trump’s cabinet, has spoken publicly about UAPs in the past. Rubio has argued that the government should be more transparent about what it knows. He emphasizes the national security implications of UAP encounters and warns that withholding data from the public creates unnecessary secrecy and speculation.
New National Security Advisor Mike Waltz has stated that UAPs represent not only a military concern but also a major opportunity for scientific research. Waltz claims that recent data collected by advanced radar and sensor technologies show these objects performing maneuvers that defy the known laws of physics. He argues that sharing this information with the public is essential for ensuring accurate understanding and informed debate.
At the same time, UAP discussions have evolved into both an economic and political issue in the United States. Bipartisan groups in Congress are no longer focusing solely on the possibility of extraterrestrial life. They are also demanding greater transparency regarding government spending. Representative Nancy Mace, speaking at the most recent hearing, asked, “If we are spending money on something that doesn’t exist, why are we spending it? And if it does exist, why are we hiding it from the public?” She emphasized the need for closer oversight of these expenditures.
This shift has brought UFO discussions into a broader political context in the U.S. The debate now highlights not only scientific and security concerns, but also the importance of government transparency and the responsible use of public funds.
Although many claim that UFOs are strictly a scientific topic backed by concrete evidence, belief in UFOs has increasingly taken on the characteristics of a modern religious movement in the United States. Professor Diana Pasulka of the University of North Carolina argues that UFO belief can now be considered a contemporary religious phenomenon. According to Pasulka, belief in UFOs and extraterrestrial life offers a powerful form of spiritual attraction that has the potential to replace traditional religions. One key factor that distinguishes this new movement from older mystical beliefs is the involvement of scientists who take the subject seriously.
Pasulka notes that the most significant difference in this emerging belief system is its focus on the pursuit of scientific proof. While traditional religions are often based on faith, belief in UFOs is grounded in the hope that extraterrestrial life can eventually be verified through scientific discovery.
Dr. Nuh Akçakaya, a researcher at Selçuk University’s Department of Sociology who specializes in conspiracy theories, offers another perspective. In his remarks to Scrolli, Akçakaya highlights several key points.
According to Akçakaya, the historical depth of UFO claims is relatively limited. Although the term “UFO” refers to any unidentified flying object, it is commonly and almost automatically associated with extraterrestrials. He points out that the rise of UFO conspiracy theories is a relatively recent phenomenon. In his view, the emergence of these theories in the Western world is closely linked to the beginning of space exploration, which helped bring the UFO phenomenon into the public consciousness.
Dr. Akçakaya offers the following reflection on the subject: "Regardless of what is ultimately presented to us about UFOs, it is not hard to predict that any claim backed by the President of the United States will reach a broad audience and shape public belief. In my opinion, we are unlikely to see any significant or compelling evidence. As with previous footage, we will probably be shown images of objects in the sky that we cannot easily explain or identify."
He continues, "There is already a group of people who believe that aliens are a reptilian species capable of replacing humans. I don’t think they are particularly concerned with evidence. That is not to dismiss them. This is a sensitive topic. But we are dealing with a mindset that, despite having little to no concrete evidence, holds beliefs that go against biology, nature, and philosophy. While we have no right to belittle them, we do have a responsibility to question how these beliefs relate to science."
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