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US releases second batch of government declassified UFO files

By Thomson Reuters May 22, 2026 | 7:44 AM

May 22 (Reuters) – The U.S. Defense Department on Friday released a second batch of previously classified files on ​alleged UFO sightings, including references ‌to people reporting unexplained green orbs, discs and fireballs.

At the order of President Donald Trump, the first batch was made public ‌on ​May 8. He is ⁠the latest president ⁠to release U.S. government reports on unidentified flying objects, a disclosure process that began in the late 1970s.

Defense ​Secretary Pete Hegseth said the documents, photos and videos of what ⁠are officially known as “unidentified ⁠anomalous phenomena” had long fueled ​speculation.

“It’s time the American people see it ​for themselves,” he said in a ‌statement.

One of the 222 files released on Friday contains 116 pages of documentation relating to a series of ⁠reported sightings and investigations in a top secret facility in Sandia, New Mexico, from ⁠1948 to ‌1950.

“This file contains 209 ⁠sightings of ‘green orbs’, ‘discs’, and ‘fireballs’ reported ​near ‌the military base,” the Defense ​Department said.

Experts ⁠said the first batch contained new videos of known sightings but gave no conclusive evidence of alien technology or extraterrestrial life.

(Reporting by David LjunggrenEditing by ​Tomasz Janowski)