Witness

Pete Hegseth

U.S. Secretary of War (29th Secretary of Defense)

Pete Hegseth was confirmed in January 2025 as the 29th Secretary of Defense and became the first U.S. Secretary of War after the September 2025 rebranding of the department. He oversaw the May 8, 2026 PURSUE Release 01 declassification — the largest single public release of UAP-related government records to date — stating that the goal was to provide "maximum transparency" regarding the government's knowledge of unexplained aerial phenomena.

Connected events

Document Release
May 8, 2026
PURSUE Release 01: Department of War declassifies 160 UAP files
The Trump administration launches PURSUE — the Presidential Unsealing and Reporting System for UAP Encounters — and the Department of War publishes 160 declassified UAP-related files in the first tranche: 117 PDFs, 29 sensor videos, and 14 photographs spanning 1944 to 2026. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth says the goal is 'maximum transparency.'

PURSUE Release 01: Department of War declassifies 160 UAP files