White House Silent on Claims of UFO Shootdown Authorization
The White House has declined to answer questions about alleged orders to engage unidentified objects and an operation to lure them to a U.S. testing facility.
What happened
Liberation Times submitted written questions to the White House on September 22, 2026, asking whether President Trump had authorized U.S. military personnel to shoot down UFOs or unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP), and whether the government conducted an operation to lure such objects. The deadline for response was set at 5pm Eastern Time on Friday, September 25. Despite follow-up emails, the White House provided no response after the deadline elapsed. Journalist Ross Coulthart had claimed that Trump authorized the Department of War to engage with UFOs and that the military downed objects in the U.S. and in Juárez, Mexico. When asked about these allegations, a Department of War official responded: 'We refer you to the White House regarding any orders, directives, or authorization issues by President Trump.'
Context
The White House initiated a UFO disclosure effort through the PURSUE program, but released imagery that remains ambiguous and largely duplicates previously available material. A government-established UAP Science Advisory Council led by Harvard professor Avi Loeb has received no meaningful data from agencies, raising questions about commitment to disclosure. The Pentagon reports it cannot locate two videos allegedly showing a 100-foot triangular UFO over a Colorado military base, with file numbers IRR1669S015524 and IRR1669S005024 provided by sources. Intelligence community sources indicate the CIA is reluctant to release data tied to classified collection systems and methods that serve broader intelligence missions. The lack of clarity on these questions is significant because if U.S. forces are actively engaging unidentified objects, it raises operational concerns: who determines whether an object poses a threat, whether civilian aircraft might be endangered, and what safeguards exist.
What's disputed
The existence of the alleged luring operation at the testing facility (characterized as unconfirmed in the source material). Coulthart's claims of authorized UFO engagement and object downings. The Pentagon's assertion that it cannot locate the specific video files. The characterization of the El Paso airspace closures in February 2026 (officially attributed to cartel drones by the FAA, though counter-drone laser safety concerns were also reported).