Do Aliens Exist? UFO Files Show No Strong Evidence of Alien Life, Says Analyst Mick West (Video)
The US Department of Defense has released around 160 declassified files on UFOs or unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP), including historical reports, photos, and videos from the 1940s onward. The documents were posted online on May 8, 2026. Analyst Mick West examined the batch and reported no evidence of extraterrestrial technology.
The US Department of Defense has released around 160 declassified files on unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP), formerly known as UFOs, following a directive from President Donald Trump. The documents, photos, and videos, many dating back to the 1940s, provide public access to historical government records but contain no conclusive evidence of alien technology or extraterrestrial life, according to independent analyst Mick West.
The files were posted on May 8, 2026, to a dedicated government website as part of the Presidential Unsealing and Reporting System for UAP Encounters (PURSUE). Officials described the release as an initial tranche in an ongoing process, with more materials expected in coming weeks. Aliens Found in US? Former Researcher Claims American Government Recovered 4 Distinct Types of Extraterrestrial Life From Crashed UFOs.
UFO Files: Content of the Release
The batch includes military reports, pilot accounts, witness interviews, photographs and videos from various agencies, including the FBI, NASA, and the Department of Defense. Among them are historical documents on "flying discs" from the late 1940s, images from Apollo missions showing unidentified particles or objects near the moon, and more recent UAP sightings.
Many videos show distant objects appearing as small white dots or indistinct shapes, with significant redactions obscuring key details such as telemetry data. UFO Files: Pentagon Declassifies Mysterious Infrared Footage of Bizarre Unidentified Aerial Object Captured Over Middle East in 2013 (Watch Video).
Analyst's Assessment of UFO Files
Mick West, a prominent UAP skeptic and analyst, reviewed the materials shortly after release. He described the drop as offering "quantity over quality," noting that many files were previously available or contained limited new information.
"The videos... are really not particularly interesting," West said in a Reuters interview featured in the video. "All we see is little white dots moving around on the screen and we're unable to identify them because they're so small." He added that while some pilot reports sound compelling, the accompanying footage often fails to corroborate them, providing no "smoking gun" for advanced technology or extraterrestrial origins.
UFO Files Show No Alien Evidence: Analyst Mick West
The release fulfills a push for greater transparency on UAP, which gained renewed attention in recent years through congressional hearings and Pentagon programs. It builds on earlier declassifications but marks a larger-scale effort under the current administration.
Some UFO disclosure advocates have welcomed the move as a step forward, while skeptics point out that many sightings can be explained by conventional phenomena such as aircraft, balloons, drones, or optical effects. No government assessment in the released files concludes that any UAP represent non-human intelligence.
Additional releases are planned, potentially including more videos and records. The public can access the current files directly via the Department of Defense's UAP portal.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 19, 2026 10:32 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
