Retired Major David Grusch’s eagerly awaited testimony before a House Oversight subcommittee marked Congress’ latest dive into the realm of UAPs — or “unidentified aerial phenomena,” the official terminology adopted by the US government in place of UFOs.
Although discussions surrounding unidentified aircraft often spark conversations about extraterrestrials and “little green men,” both Democrats and Republicans have increasingly advocated for enhanced research due to concerns that the instances reported by pilots could be linked to US adversaries.
Grusch revealed that in 2019, he was tasked by the head of a government UAP task force to identify all highly classified initiatives related to the task force’s goals.
At that time, Grusch was assigned to the National Reconnaissance Office, which is responsible for operating US spy satellites.
“During my official duties, I was made aware of a decades-long UAP crash recovery and reverse engineering program to which I had no access,” he stated.
When questioned about whether the government possessed knowledge of extraterrestrial life, Grusch asserted that the US likely has been conscious of “non-human” activity since the 1930s.
The Pentagon has dismissed Grusch’s allegations of a cover-up.
In a statement, Defence Department spokesperson Sue Gough indicated that investigators had not found “any verifiable information to support claims that any programs related to the possession or reverse-engineering of extraterrestrial materials have ever existed or currently exist.”
The statement did not tackle UFOs that are not considered to be extraterrestrial in nature.
Grusch claimed he became a whistleblower after his findings and has experienced retaliation for his disclosures.
He chose not to elaborate on the retaliatory actions, citing an ongoing investigation.
“The tactics used against me were harsh and regrettable, impacting me both professionally and personally,” he stated.
Rep. Glenn Grothman, a Republican from Wisconsin, led the hearing and humorously welcomed the audience, saying, “Welcome to the most thrilling subcommittee in Congress this week.”
Grusch’s claims drew bipartisan interest, resulting in a more serious tone than previous hearings featuring whistleblowers who were praised by Republicans and criticized by Democrats.
Legislators from both parties inquired about Grusch’s UFO studies and the repercussions he faced, as well as how they could obtain more information about the government’s UAP initiatives.
“I assume you’re advocating for genuine transparency and reporting systems to clarify the situation regarding these phenomena,” remarked Rep. Jamie Raskin, a Democrat from Maryland.
Some lawmakers expressed discontent with the Pentagon for failing to provide more information in classified briefings or to release publicly viewable images.
In the past, Pentagon officials presented a video taken from an F-18 military aircraft which showcased the silhouette of a balloon-like object.
Pentagon officials noted in December that they had received “several hundreds” of additional reports since initiating a renewed commitment to investigate UFO sightings.
At that time, “we haven’t encountered anything, and we’re still in the early stages, that would suggest that any of the objects we have observed are of alien origin,” stated Ronald Moultrie, the undersecretary of defense for intelligence and security.
“Any unauthorized systems operating in our airspace are considered a threat to safety.”