Astrophysicist Abi Loeb discusses government secrecy on UAPs

Astrophysicist Abi Loeb, serving as chief adviser to a recent UAP governance committee created by the Trump administration, shared insights on the government’s hesitance to disclose information about unidentified aerial phenomena. He pointed out that some sightings are currently unaccounted for and may represent a national security concern. Advocating for openness, Loeb noted that his team’s objective is to gather unclassified data to enhance understanding of these UAPs and possibly unlock significant discoveries.

Loeb, who was appointed chair of the UFO Advisory Committee by the White House just last month, believes the federal government is “perplexed” by the various unidentified objects detected by the U.S. military over the years. He mentioned that a newly assembled group of over a dozen scientists is reviewing four recent reports of UFO sightings that were released by the Trump administration.

His journey began in early June when officials from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence engaged him to form a panel dedicated to unraveling the mysteries surrounding UFOs—now referred to by the government as Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAPs). This term encompasses objects that seem to be maneuvering either underwater or in the atmosphere.

Loeb said in an interview, “The U.S. government reached out to me, which shows they are indeed perplexed by what they are observing and likely skeptical that such objects are man-made.”

Loeb’s council is scheduled to present its findings to the newly established UAP Board under ODNI oversight. According to the council’s website, their focus will be on examining already declassified information related to UAPs.

In addition, Loeb indicated to Fox News Digital that he has requested 50 videos, images, and documents associated with known UAP events from the Department of Defense and other relevant agencies. Unfortunately, these materials have yet to be delivered, with officials citing national security as a concern.

He explained, “The challenge isn’t necessarily the targets themselves but the sensors involved, which are designed for national security purposes. The U.S. government wants to keep adversaries unaware of what those sensors entail, thus creating a significant barrier.”

Loeb aims to determine the origins of UAPs observed by the U.S. military—whether they come from foreign entities or are of entirely non-human origin. He added, “If these are indeed not created by humans, that would signify the greatest scientific discovery ever, indicating we are not alone.” However, he also cautioned that many of the phenomena may turn out to be rather mundane, like space debris or malfunctioning satellites. “We should categorize most sightings as space junk unless they defy gravity,” he clarified.

Still, he expressed appreciation for the White House’s push for transparency. In February, President Trump ordered a declassification of documents concerning aliens and UAPs, acknowledging the “extreme interest” of the public.

One of Loeb’s committee’s primary aims is to recommend advancements in sensor technology for more effective UAP detection in the future. “If we are dealing with unusual drones similar to those utilized by China, having superior sensors would be beneficial. Currently, many reports describe them as spheres. They may not even be drones, yet they certainly have implications for national security,” he remarked.

Loeb’s comments followed the Army Department’s latest release of UAP-related materials. He reflected on one notable release, a photo from the Apollo 12 moon mission in 1969. The image features five “unidentified phenomena,” which federal authorities have largely now attributed to cosmic rays.

Loeb, who led the astronomy department at Harvard University until 2020, has been deeply involved in research covering black holes, the universe’s early stars, and extraterrestrial life. His skepticism emerged in 2017 when scientists reported findings of a Pluto-like object in our solar system; he proposed it might be a light sail from alien civilization. After gaining recognition in the UFO community, Loeb initiated the Galileo Project at Harvard, aimed at uncovering artifacts from extraterrestrial origins.