The US Pentagon released a second batch of 222 declassified UFO files on May 22, 2026. The collection includes videos, audio recordings, and written reports, adding to the former classified material made public earlier this month [1, 2, 3].
Among the files is a 116-page report documenting 209 sightings of unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP) near a classified military site in Sandia, New Mexico. These sightings, dating from 1948 to 1950, describe green orbs, discs, and fireballs in the skies above the area [1, 2, 3].
A senior US intelligence officer provided a first-hand account of a close encounter in 2025 in the western United States. The officer recalled seeing orange oval-shaped orbs with white or yellow centers that formed a triangle and moved at high speed during a sighting lasting over an hour [1].
The Pentagon has not drawn conclusions about the nature of the phenomena or whether they indicate extraterrestrial life. Officials stated that the public can decide for themselves what to make of the files [1, 2, 3].
This second release follows the first batch of 161 UFO files published on May 8, 2026. That initial release was ordered by then-President Donald Trump as part of a disclosure effort dating back to the late 1970s [1, 2, 3].
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the documents have long fueled speculation and emphasized public access. "It's time the American people see it for themselves," he said, calling the releases a demonstration of the Trump administration’s commitment to transparency [2, 3].
The declassified files on UFO sightings will continue to be analyzed by researchers and the public alike as interest in unidentified aerial phenomena persists.
