The Pentagon said Thursday it has not discovered any verifiable evidence of extraterrestrial beings, activity or technology despite a former Pentagon official telling Congress Wednesday that evidence exists that "we are not alone in the cosmos."
Deputy Pentagon press secretary Sabrina Singh told reporters during a press briefing the Department of Defense delivered its fiscal year 2024 annual report on unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP) — aka UFOs — to Congress, which shows the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) received over 1,600 UAP reports since the department was established in July 2022.
Of the 1,600 reports, 757 came to AARO over the past year, and the office has resolved hundreds of cases, identifying the UAPs as objects like balloons, birds, drones, satellites and aircraft.
Singh also said over 900 of the reports lacked sufficient data for analysis, though those cases remain in an active archive and can be reopened if additional information emerges to support its analysis.
UFO HEARING: EX-PENTAGON OFFICIAL SAYS GOVERNMENT ‘CABAL’ IS HIDING' THE FACT THAT WE ARE NOT ALONE'
"I want to emphasize that only a very small percentage of reports to AARO are potentially anomalous, but these are the cases that require significant time, resources and focus," Singh said. "It is also important to underscore that, to date, the department has discovered no verifiable evidence of extraterrestrial beings, activity or technology. None of the cases resolved by AARO have pointed to advanced capabilities or breakthrough technologies, either."
Fox News chief national security correspondent Jennifer Griffin asked Singh to elaborate about UAPs and an accusation that the department has the remains of aliens in storage or signs of life from other places.
"I’m not aware of any remains that the department has, or, you know, any signs of extraterrestrial beings or activity or technology," Singh said.
UFO HEARING: EX-PENTAGON OFFICIAL SAYS GOVERNMENT ‘CABAL’ IS HIDING ‘THE FACT WE ARE NOT ALONE’
Singh reiterated that "the department has not discovered any verified evidence of extraterrestrial beings, activity or technology."
Luiz Elizondo, the former head of the Defense Department’s Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program (AATIP) was tasked with investigating UAPs. On Wednesday, he and other witnesses testified before the House Oversight Committee.
"Excessive secrecy has led to grave misdeeds against loyal civil servants, military personnel and the public, all to hide the fact that we are not alone in the cosmos," said Elizondo, who later called the group a "cabal." "A small cadre within our own government involving the UAP topic has created a culture of suppression and intimidation that I have personally been victim to, along with many of my former colleagues."
He urged Congress to enact legislation protecting whistleblowers afraid to come forward about government operations.
Still, the hearing was part of a larger effort by lawmakers to investigate UAPs and determine if elements within the government are unlawfully withholding evidence from Congress.
Dr. Tim Gallaudet, a retired U.S. Navy rear admiral, also testified at Wednesday's hearing. He recounted an incident in which personnel aboard the USS Theodore Roosevelt aircraft carrier had a run-in with UAPs during a military exercise.
"During this exercise, I received an email on the Navy’s secure network from the operations officer of Fleet Forces Command. The email was addressed to all subordinate commanders, and the subject line read in all capital letters: URGENT SAFETY OF FLIGHT ISSUE. The text of the email was brief but alarming, with words to the effect, ‘If any of you know what these are, tell me ASAP. We are having multiple near-midair collisions, and if we do not resolve it soon, we will have to shut down the exercise,'" Gallaudet said.
"Attached to the email was what is now known as the "Go Fast" video, captured on the forward-looking infrared sensor onboard one of the Navy F/A-18 aircraft participating in the exercise," he added.
"The very next day, the email disappeared from my account and those of the other recipients without explanation. Moreover, the commander of Fleet Forces and his operations officer never discussed the incident again."
Fox News Digital’s Anders Hagstrom contributed to this report.
