May 22 - The U.S. Defense Department on Friday made public a second collection of declassified files that document alleged sightings of unidentified anomalous phenomena, including accounts that reference unexplained green orbs, discs and fireballs.
The department said the release follows an earlier publication ordered by President Donald Trump on May 8. That first tranche had been made public at his direction, and officials said the newly released materials expand on what was previously disclosed.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth commented on the release in a statement, saying, "It’s time the American people see it for themselves." The materials comprise documents, photographs and video recordings that officials acknowledge have long been a source of public speculation.
Among the 222 files disclosed on Friday is one package consisting of 116 pages that documents a sequence of reported sightings and investigations tied to a top secret facility in Sandia, New Mexico, spanning the years 1948 to 1950. The Defense Department described the content of that file, saying, "This file contains 209 sightings of 'green orbs', 'discs', and 'fireballs' reported near the military base."
Observers and analysts who examined the first batch of disclosures said those earlier releases included fresh video footage of incidents that had been previously reported. However, those experts also concluded that the materials provided so far did not supply conclusive proof of alien technology or the existence of extraterrestrial life.
The new release continues the government practice of declassifying records related to unidentified aerial phenomena and places additional primary source material in the public domain. Officials framed the disclosure as a matter of transparency, while independent commentators noted that, despite the release of raw material, definitive explanations for the incidents remain absent from the files.
As the public and analysts review the newly available files, questions about the provenance, investigation and interpretation of the documents remain. The Department has made the documents accessible for public inspection, allowing researchers and members of the public to examine the reports and associated media directly.