A former US intelligence official has told a congressional hearing that the American government ran a secret, multi-decade programme to recover and reverse-engineer crashed unidentified flying objects (UFOs). David Grusch, who led analysis of unexplained anomalous phenomena (UAP) for the Department of Defense until 2023, also alleged that 'non-human' biological matter had been found at crash sites.
Testifying under oath before the House oversight committee in Washington, Grusch said he was informed of the programme during his official duties but was denied access to it. He filed a whistleblower complaint in 2022 and claimed he faced 'very brutal' retaliation as a result of his allegations, including threats to his life. 'Yes definitely,' he replied when asked if he feared for his life.
The hearing, which attracted global interest, marks the highest-profile airing of claims about alien life before the US Congress. Grusch repeated allegations first made in June that the government is hiding evidence of alien technology, though he was less forthcoming on some details under oath. He confirmed that 'biologics'—non-human remains—had been recovered alongside some craft, and that the government likely knew of non-human activity since the 1930s.
Republican congressman Tim Burchett, who co-leads the UFO investigation, acknowledged the difficulty in securing the hearing, accusing government agencies of erecting roadblocks. 'It's been so difficult to get here today,' he said. 'We've run into roadblocks from members, the intelligence community, the Pentagon.'
