U.S. Department of War Fails to Provide 46 Classified UFO Videos to Congress by April 14 Deadline

The United States Department of Defense failed to comply with a congressional demand for 46 specific classified videos regarding Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP) by the established April 14, 2026, deadline. As of April 15, 2026, the department, led by Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, has not responded to the mandate, triggering a fresh wave of government cover-up allegations.

This missed deadline exacerbates tensions surrounding legislative transparency efforts in 2026. The demand was spearheaded by the Federal Secrets Declassification Task Force under the leadership of Representative Anna Paulina Luna. On March 31, 2026, Luna sent a formal letter to Secretary Hegseth demanding the release of the videos and setting an April 14, 2026, deadline. Previously, in February 2026, President Donald Trump issued a directive to declassify files related to UAP and extraterrestrial life, providing the backdrop for current events.

The 46 requested videos cover incidents occurring in various geographic locations, including the Persian Gulf, Afghanistan, the East China Sea, and areas where U.S. naval forces are stationed. According to insider reports, the documented phenomena include "Tic-Tac" shaped objects, cigar-shaped and spherical craft, as well as footage of coordinated formations spotted above warships. A key element in the video package is the recording of an intercept over Lake Huron on February 12, 2023, when an F-16 fighter with the call sign AESIR11 deployed an AIM-9X missile against a UAP.

Lawmakers, including members of the House Oversight Committee, are pushing for the immediate release of this data, arguing that objects operating near military assets pose a direct threat to the combat readiness of the armed forces. The Task Force previously found the responses from the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) regarding intercepts dating back to 2004—as required by the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026—to be less than adequate. Secretary Hegseth had previously confirmed that work was underway to fulfill President Trump's directive, while cautioning that a "deliberative process" was necessary to assess national interests.

The failure to meet the strict deadline set by Congress signals either a serious breakdown in oversight mechanisms or an escalation of executive branch resistance to transparency demands. Responding to the pressure on April 15, 2026, a Department of War spokesperson stated that AARO is actively collaborating with the White House and other entities to consolidate UAP record collections. Lawmakers point out that technology to blur sensitive backgrounds exists, and "the national security excuse is being used to mask a lack of accountability."