Trump Orders Waiver for NDAs on UAP Discussions
President Donald Trump has instructed federal agencies to lift previous non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) for former employees and contractors involved in the investigation of unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP), according to sources.
Specifically, Trump has directed the Department of the Army and intelligence agencies to permit former staff to provide relevant information about UAP disclosures. This information will be shared with designated representatives from the AARO, known as the Pentagon’s All-Area Anomaly Resolution Office, which focuses on phenomena like UFOs.
A senior official clarified that this initiative is not a “declassification directive.” Instead, it simply allows these individuals to come forward through official channels.
Over the years, congressional inquiries, whistleblower accounts, and newly released documents have raised concerns that additional witnesses might have felt silenced due to fear of violating past NDAs.
“Individuals who think they have information are often hesitant to speak out,” noted the official. “We’re working to eliminate this barrier.”
Many defense contractors and government personnel, who had access to classified data, signed NDAs that typically remain effective even after they leave their positions. Those who disclose any protected information without authorization risk severe consequences, including legal penalties.
Under the new guidelines, former employees or contractors with potentially significant UAP-related information will first meet with officials from the AARO or the President’s UAP Task Force. During these sessions, applicable NDAs may be waived, allowing witnesses to share insights freely.
This information will then go through existing government declassification procedures. “Anything that sheds light on the UAP mystery will be made public eventually,” the official stated.
The initiative aims to address long-standing issues raised by lawmakers who have criticized the confidentiality restrictions that prevent knowledgeable individuals from coming forward.
Trump’s order comes in the wake of extensive record declassifications related to UAP, including reports from the FBI and the Department of Defense about unexplained incidents reported by military personnel and astronauts. These incidents sometimes involved small objects being detected near sensitive national security sites, dating back to the Apollo era when astronauts noted unexplained lights and debris in space.
The most recent release includes not only details from a 2015 encounter near a nuclear weapons facility in Texas but also newly declassified footage showing a mysterious star-shaped object over the Yellow Sea on January 1, 2025. An official mentioned that more information would be available soon.
There have been many calls from some former officials and lawmakers expressing concern over the culture of secrecy, which they say discourages individuals from sharing crucial information.
Marco Rubio, Secretary of State and former vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, highlighted in 2023 that many individuals with direct knowledge were reluctant to reveal information due to the fear of potential backlash.
Public curiosity has surged since 2017 when the New York Times disclosed a secret Pentagon program investigating unexplained aerial encounters, raising transparency demands from Congress and fueling ongoing discussions about UAP.
Former Air Force intelligence officer David Groush raised alarms regarding the apparent lack of oversight of the UAP program, suggesting the existence of significant financial misconduct within its operations. The Pentagon has disputed many of Groush’s assertions, stating that there is no verified evidence to support claims about extraterrestrial technology or secret recovery of non-human vehicles.
