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What is 2017 New York Times UAP Revelation?
On December 16, 2017, The New York Times published "Glowing Auras and 'Black Money': The Pentagon's Mysterious U.F.O. Program" by Helene Cooper, Ralph Blumenthal and Leslie Kean, revealing that the Pentagon had spent about $22 million on a secret UFO-study effort, the Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program (AATIP), which the Pentagon said it shut down in 2012. It matters to UAP disclosure because it brought government UFO research into mainstream news, published Navy video of an unidentified object, and introduced figures such as Luis Elizondo and the group To The Stars Academy, whose campaign drove later developments. The Washington Post and Politico published parallel reports the same day.
Key dates
- 2009 — At Senator Harry Reid's direction, Congress funded DIA's Advanced Aerospace Weapons System Application Program (AAWSAP), also known as AATIP, run by a contractor; AARO says the funding totaled $22 million. All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office, U.S. Department of Defense (copy hosted by The Black Vault)
- 2012 — The Pentagon says it ended the program; a spokesman said 'other, higher priority issues' merited funding, while Elizondo said only the government funding ended. The New York Times (via Boston.com)
- 2017-10 — Luis Elizondo resigned from the Defense Department, writing to Defense Secretary Jim Mattis that the issue was not being taken seriously. NPR (via GBH)
- 2017-12-16 — The New York Times, Washington Post and Politico reported on the program, and To The Stars Academy posted Navy video on YouTube. NPR (via GBH)
- 2019-06 — The Pentagon told reporters Elizondo had no assigned responsibilities for AATIP, disputing his description of his role. The Black Vault
- 2024-03 — AARO's historical report said the program produced exploratory scientific papers that were never thoroughly peer reviewed and found no substantive UAP case work beyond reviews and interviews. All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office, U.S. Department of Defense (copy hosted by The Black Vault)
Last reviewed 2026-10-18. Statements are attributed to the linked sources; inclusion on this page does not imply wrongdoing.
Strongest Evidence
To The Stars Academy of Arts & Sciences (TTSA)
To The Stars Academy, whose members included Luis Elizondo and Christopher Mellon, publicized Navy UAP videos around the December 2017 New York Times story; the Pentagon later said the videos had been leaked, not approved for release.
Chris Mellon
Mellon says he gave three unclassified Navy UAP videos to The New York Times in 2017.
Luis Elizondo
Elizondo was a source for the December 2017 New York Times story on the Pentagon UAP program; the Pentagon has disputed his account of his role in it.
Connections (3)
To The Stars Academy, whose members included Luis Elizondo and Christopher Mellon, publicized Navy UAP videos around the December 2017 New York Times story; the Pentagon later said the videos had been leaked, not approved for release.
Mellon says he gave three unclassified Navy UAP videos to The New York Times in 2017.
Elizondo was a source for the December 2017 New York Times story on the Pentagon UAP program; the Pentagon has disputed his account of his role in it.
Mutual Connections
Entities that are connected to 2017 New York Times UAP Revelation and also to each other.
To The Stars Academy of Arts & Sciences (TTSA) & Chris Mellon
Both connected to 2017 New York Times UAP Revelation and to each other
To The Stars Academy of Arts & Sciences (TTSA) & Luis Elizondo
Both connected to 2017 New York Times UAP Revelation and to each other
Frequently asked questions
What did the New York Times reveal about UFOs in 2017?+
The December 16, 2017 article reported that the Pentagon had run the Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program, spending just under $22 million from late 2008 through 2011, mostly through Robert Bigelow's company. The Pentagon confirmed the program existed and said it had ended in 2012. The New York Times (via Boston.com)
How did the Navy UFO videos get to the New York Times?+
How the videos reached the press is disputed. The Washington Post reported that Elizondo sought their release when he resigned in 2017, and To The Stars Academy said they went through a declassification review. The Navy disputed that they were approved for release, and the Pentagon later said they had circulated after being leaked in 2007 and 2017. NBC News
Did Luis Elizondo run AATIP?+
That is disputed. The Times reported that Elizondo ran the program, and he says he directed it. In 2019 the Pentagon said he had no assigned responsibilities for AATIP and that DIA administered the program. The Black Vault
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