The Pentagon has announced a legal waiver that allows current and former personnel sworn to secrecy about Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP) activity to legally share information with the government. This waiver permits past and present service members, civilians, and contractors to provide UAP-related National Defense Information to representatives of PURSUE — the Presidential Unsealing and Reporting System for UAP Encounters, which is associated with the Trump administration’s UAP task force, according to a statement from the Department of War on Monday.
The waiver overrides existing non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) and Special Access Program Indoctrination Agreements (SAPIAs) when information is shared through the authorized PURSUE channel. This initiative aims to facilitate the review and potential declassification of UAP-related documents, aligning with President Trump’s directive for increased transparency regarding UAPs.
This development builds on a directive issued in July by the Trump administration, which instructed the Department of War and the intelligence community to allow former employees with UAP knowledge to come forward to the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) or PURSUE.
Prior to this announcement, individuals with access to classified UAP information were bound by NDAs and SAPIAs, which deterred many from speaking out due to fears of legal repercussions and losing their security clearances. The new waiver stipulates that individuals who disclose information to PURSUE will not face punishment, loss of clearance, or legal penalties for breaching their NDAs.
The Department of War stated, "This waiver removes those barriers by explicitly authorizing covered disclosures to PURSUE representatives without triggering breach-of-agreement penalties or standard NDA violations."
President Trump has expressed skepticism regarding the existence of alien life but mandated transparency about UFOs following comments made by former President Barack Obama, who acknowledged the reality of UAPs in a February interview. The Trump administration's recent release of UFO files included reports of a triangle UFO sighting near Colorado Springs in 2023.
While the waiver allows government personnel to report UAP activity, it is unclear if the Pentagon plans to investigate the numerous UFO sightings reported by the public. Earlier this month, Dr. Phil McGraw criticized the Pentagon for allegedly ignoring over 1,800 legitimate UAP reports submitted by the public.
Currently, the public can report UFO sightings only through two private databases: the National UFO Reporting Center (NUFORC) and the Mutual UFO Network (MUFON). According to NUFORC, more than 1,800 UFO reports have been classified as “Tier 1,” indicating they are among the most credible sightings recorded. The AARO, responsible for examining UFO sightings, has stated that it will only accept reports from current or former US government employees, military personnel, or contractors with direct knowledge of UAP-related government activities dating back to 1945.