Summary:
In June 2026, the United States government established an interagency Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP) Governance Board to coordinate investigations, data collection and analysis, and declassification efforts across federal agencies. The Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), working with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Department of War (DOW), created the board to advance presidential directives on UAP transparency. Its charter requires the body to address national security threats from UAP, optimize interagency processes in direct support of the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO), and facilitate timely declassification consistent with Executive Order 13526. The board convenes representatives from military, law enforcement, Intelligence Community, and civilian agencies. It is supported by external advisory groups, including the UAP Science Advisory Council chaired by Harvard astrophysicist Avi Loeb, which draws on specialists in astrophysics, data science, instrumentation, biology, and related fields. The new structure strengthens AARO’s operational mandate, first established in 2022, and aligns with ongoing DOW releases of historical UAP records.
Detailed Report
1. Background and Establishment of the UAP Governance Board
Federal efforts to address UAP evolved from the Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Task Force, active from 2020 to 2021, to AARO, which was established on 20 July 2022 under the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022. AARO centralized detection, tracking, analysis, and resolution of anomalous phenomena across air, maritime, space, and transmedium domains under DOW oversight. Continued congressional interest and public calls for greater transparency prompted additional executive measures. In response to the President’s directive on UAP transparency, ODNI, in coordination with FBI and DOW, established the UAP Governance Board in mid-June 2026. An official from ODNI told Liberation Times that the board was formed “to support the President’s directive on UAP transparency” by supplying guidance, recommendations, and coordination at the interagency level.
2. Participating Agencies and Interagency Framework
The board was established by ODNI together with FBI and DOW, which serve as its primary sponsors. It incorporates representatives from military services and commands, law enforcement organizations, Intelligence Community components, and additional civilian agencies that hold relevant authorities or data holdings. This composition allows the board to draw on each participant’s distinct legal authorities and operational capabilities without creating new statutory powers. AARO remains the principal operational entity responsible for UAP detection, analysis, and resolution across domains. The Governance Board supplies policy-level direction and process improvements intended to strengthen and standardize support to AARO.
3. Supporting Advisory Structures
To supplement its work with specialized expertise unavailable within government channels, the board relies on external advisory groups. One such group is the UAP Science Advisory Council, which was tasked by the White House, AARO, ODNI, FBI, and Intelligence Community members. Harvard astrophysicist Avi Loeb was asked to chair the council and assemble its members. The council includes Prof. Carol Cleland, specializing in anomaly identification; Dr. Richard Cloete and Dr. Omer Eldadi, focused on data analysis, management, and artificial intelligence tools; Dr. Tim Gallaudet and Ben Lamm, with expertise in oceanography and biology; Dr. Devesh Nandal and Prof. Matthew Szydagis, covering numerical analysis, astrophysics, and instrumentation; Prof. Garry Nolan, working in molecular biology and materials science; Dr. Michael Shermer, who studies anomalies; Dr. Peter Skafish, an anthropologist; and Dr. Jennice Vilhauer, specializing in quantitative psychology. The council provides rigorous scientific input to support government agencies addressing UAP.
4. Charter Mandate, Goals, and Operational Aims
The board’s charter, as reported by Liberation Times citing an official from ODNI, defines its mission as an interagency body that employs each member’s capabilities and unique authorities to address national security threats posed by UAP in a cohesive manner. The charter further directs the board to integrate and optimize interagency processes for the investigation of UAP incidents and for the collection and analysis procedures applied to UAP data, with the explicit objective of delivering more effective support to AARO. It also requires the board to assist in the timely coordination of declassification of UAP-related information in accordance with Executive Order 13526. The same ODNI official informed Liberation Times that the board was established to provide guidance, recommendations, and coordination at the interagency level, uniting military, law enforcement, Intelligence Community, and civilian agencies. These aims focus on standardized data handling, reduced duplication across organizations, and strengthened operational support to AARO’s existing requirements.
5. Connection to PURSUE Declassification Releases
The Governance Board’s declassification responsibilities operate alongside broader government efforts to release UAP-related records. The Department of War has issued three tranches of historical and unresolved materials under the PURSUE initiative, designated PURSUE 01, PURSUE 02, and PURSUE 03, with the first tranche released on 8 May 2026 and subsequent tranches following on a rolling basis. These releases encompass documentation spanning multiple decades and originating from various agencies. The board provides a standing interagency mechanism to prioritize, coordinate, and synchronize future declassification actions in support of these efforts while ensuring continued compliance with applicable classification standards and protection of sensitive equities.
6. Context and Practical Implications
The UAP Governance Board represents a further institutionalization of the U.S. government’s approach to UAP by creating a dedicated forum for interagency coordination and by incorporating external scientific expertise through its supporting advisory structures. The emphasis throughout remains on empirical resolution of cases, identification of prosaic or adversarial explanations where possible, and systematic improvement of data practices. The UAP Science Advisory Council adds specialized capabilities in data analytics, instrumentation, and cross-disciplinary analysis that can strengthen the quality of information available to decision-makers. Congressional oversight bodies, researchers, and the public now have a clearer interagency point of contact for questions regarding coordination and declassification progress. Visibility into board activities and outputs is expected to develop incrementally through official channels as the body implements its mandate. The overall framework preserves a clear focus on national security considerations alongside measured steps toward greater transparency.
Conclusion
The UAP Governance Board supplies a structured interagency mechanism to align capabilities, refine analytical processes, and advance declassification in support of AARO and presidential transparency priorities. It integrates existing governmental authorities with external scientific counsel while preserving AARO’s operational leadership role. Further official updates on board activities and associated record releases are anticipated as implementation proceeds.