The Sky is Full of Drones, Not Flying Saucers

The American obsession with unidentified flying objects, or what the government calls “unidentified aerial phenomena” (UAP), is stronger than ever. Notably, some of the strongest advocates for the idea that there are secrets concerning extraterrestrial beings are not conspiracy theorists, but members of the government and Congress themselves.

The late Senator Harry Reid was interested in these phenomena and helped launch a government program to investigate them. In 2023, members of Congress demanded to know whether military and intelligence officials were involved in programs to recover wreckage from unidentified flying objects or reverse-engineer technology believed to have originated from crash sites. Representative Anna Paulina Luna also stated that she had seen objects of “non-human origin and manufacture” inside a secure facility.

Last February, President Trump ordered the Department of Defense to release files related to unidentified aerial phenomena and extraterrestrial life. However, the batches released so far have not included any smoking-gun evidence supporting the more sensational claims.

Former intelligence officer David Grusch testified before Congress in 2023 that the U.S. government had found “non-human” biological materials and was working on reverse-engineering extraterrestrial technology. However, the Pentagon office responsible for investigating these phenomena was unable to interview him despite repeated attempts, and a 2024 report concluded that it “found no single case demonstrating that an unidentified aerial phenomenon represents extraterrestrial technology.”

I am skeptical that extraterrestrial beings visit Earth, and I believe the likelihood of such visits is extremely low. But precisely for that reason, I support opening government records. Military and intelligence institutions have long evaded legitimate questions about mysterious phenomena, and at times have even contributed to creating “UFO hysteria.” This ambiguity only fuels conspiracy theories.

But the most important issue is not extraterrestrials at all; “we need to know what is flying in our skies.”

In 2023, a Chinese spy balloon entered U.S. airspace and crossed North America for more than a week before being shot down. Last year, Ukraine carried out a drone attack on air bases deep inside Russian territory. These developments reveal the extent of the United States’ unpreparedness to confront unconventional aerial threats.

We need better systems to detect, identify, and deter drones and unfamiliar objects, and military personnel and security officials should be able to report anything they observe without fear for their careers.

Therefore, the media should stop amplifying wild stories about “biological materials” from space and alleged starships from other worlds that supposedly crash on Earth. Investigating these claims is fine, but anyone claiming to possess insider information about extraterrestrial visitors must provide “real evidence.”

Lawmakers should also stop hinting at vast secrets hidden by the “deep state.” They may wish to appear to voters as truth-seekers, but they risk appearing ridiculous when the full facts emerge.

Let us focus on real threats. Are hostile states testing our capabilities by sending drones near military bases and ships? Are they using electronic warfare to deceive U.S. radar systems? “These are the questions that deserve our attention.”

If we ever discover that extraterrestrial beings visit Earth, it will be the most significant event in human history. It could indeed happen, and when it does, let me know.

For now, we live in a dangerous world. Let us focus on that.