Michael Shellenburger's interview with The Hill discussing the  discovery of the US government and their contractors in possession of alien craft

For decades, the U.S. government maintained a policy of dismissal and secrecy regarding UFOs. However, this stance began to shift in the 21st century. In 2017, The New York Times revealed the existence of the Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program (AATIP), a secretive Pentagon initiative that investigated UAPs. AATIP was funded at the request of then-Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, who expressed concerns about national security and the potential implications of advanced technologies.

In 2020, the Pentagon officially declassified and released three videos taken by U.S. Navy pilots showing encounters with UAPs. These videos, known as "FLIR1," "Gimbal," and "GoFast," depict objects performing maneuvers that defy conventional aerodynamics and are beyond the capabilities of known human-made aircraft.

Further evidence came from credible military personnel. In 2021, former intelligence official Luis Elizondo, who headed AATIP, claimed that the U.S. possesses materials from "vehicles not made on this earth." Elizondo's statements added weight to assertions that the government, possibly in collaboration with private contractors, might have recovered and studied non-human technology.

In June 2021, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) released a preliminary report on UAPs, highlighting 144 incidents between 2004 and 2021 that were largely unexplained. The report did not confirm the extraterrestrial origin of these phenomena but acknowledged that some of the observed objects demonstrated advanced technological capabilities.

In 2023, the establishment of the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) marked another step towards transparency and systematic investigation of UAPs. This office aims to centralize efforts to study and understand the nature of these phenomena, drawing on resources from across the intelligence and defense communities.

Private defense contractors have played a significant role in researching and potentially reverse-engineering non-human technology. Companies like Lockheed Martin's Skunk Works and Bigelow Aerospace have been rumored to be involved in such projects. These firms often operate under strict confidentiality agreements, making public disclosure challenging.

While definitive proof of the U.S. government and contractors possessing non-human vehicles remains elusive, there is a growing body of evidence and credible testimony suggesting the possibility. The combination of declassified documents, official reports, and statements from high-ranking officials indicates that the investigation of UAPs is being taken seriously at the highest levels of government. The true extent of what is known and what technology might have been recovered remains a subject of intense speculation and interest.

As transparency increases and further investigations are conducted, the public may eventually gain a clearer understanding of these enigmatic phenomena and their implications for humanity.