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Who is Luis Elizondo?
Luis "Lue" Elizondo is a former Defense Department intelligence official who worked in the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence from 2008 until he resigned in October 2017. He became widely known after December 2017 reports revealed the Pentagon's Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program (AATIP), which he says he ran. In 2019 the Pentagon said he had no responsibilities for AATIP in that office, and his account remains disputed. He testified to Congress in November 2024 that the U.S. possesses UAP technology, a claim AARO's 2024 historical review found no verifiable evidence to support.
Key dates
- 2008 — Elizondo began working in the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence, where he remained until his 2017 departure. The Intercept
- 2017-10 — Elizondo resigned from the Defense Department, saying the military did not take the issue seriously enough. NPR (via GBH)
- 2017-12 — News reports revealed AATIP, a program that spent at least $22 million and officially ended in 2012; To The Stars Academy, where Elizondo had joined, posted Navy video of an unidentified object. NPR (via GBH)
- 2019-06-01 — A Pentagon spokesperson told The Intercept that Elizondo had no responsibilities for AATIP while in his office and could not confirm an earlier statement that he ran it. The Intercept
- 2020-04-27 — The Pentagon formally released the three Navy UAP videos first published by To The Stars Academy, saying the phenomena remain unidentified. CNN (via KSAT)
- 2024-03-08 — AARO's historical review reported no verifiable evidence that the U.S. government or private companies have access to reverse-engineered extraterrestrial technology. The Hill
- 2024-11-13 — Elizondo testified to House Oversight subcommittees that the U.S. possesses UAP technologies and that he had been targeted for speaking out. U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Accountability
Last reviewed 2026-10-18. Statements are attributed to the linked sources; inclusion on this page does not imply wrongdoing.
Strongest Evidence
2017 New York Times UAP Revelation
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.
To The Stars Academy of Arts & Sciences (TTSA)
After resigning from the Pentagon in 2017, Elizondo joined To The Stars Academy, which first published the Navy UAP videos.
Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program (AATIP)
Elizondo says he led AATIP. In 2019 a Pentagon spokesperson said he had no AATIP responsibilities, and his role remains disputed.
Connections (3)
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.
After resigning from the Pentagon in 2017, Elizondo joined To The Stars Academy, which first published the Navy UAP videos.
Elizondo says he led AATIP. In 2019 a Pentagon spokesperson said he had no AATIP responsibilities, and his role remains disputed.
Mutual Connections
Entities that are connected to Luis Elizondo and also to each other.
2017 New York Times UAP Revelation & To The Stars Academy of Arts & Sciences (TTSA)
Both connected to Luis Elizondo and to each other
Frequently asked questions
Did Luis Elizondo run AATIP?+
Elizondo says he led AATIP, and a To The Stars Academy spokesperson said he took over AATIP in 2010 and ran it from the Office of the Secretary of Defense. In 2019 a Pentagon spokesperson said Elizondo had no responsibilities for the program while in that office, and could not confirm an earlier Pentagon statement that he led it. The Intercept reported that Elizondo had not provided documents linking him to AATIP, so his role remains disputed. The Intercept
Why did Luis Elizondo resign from the Pentagon?+
Elizondo resigned in October 2017 and said the military was not taking the issue seriously enough. His resignation letter to Defense Secretary Jim Mattis cited what he called overwhelming evidence and opposition within the department to further research. NPR (via GBH)
Did Luis Elizondo release the Navy UFO videos?+
The Navy videos were first published between December 2017 and March 2018 by To The Stars Academy of Arts & Science, the company co-founded by Tom DeLonge where Elizondo worked after leaving the Pentagon. The Navy acknowledged in September 2019 that the videos were authentic, and the Pentagon formally released them in April 2020, saying the objects remain unidentified. CNN (via KSAT)
What did Luis Elizondo tell Congress?+
In written testimony for a November 13, 2024 House Oversight hearing, Elizondo said UAP are real, that advanced technologies not made by any government are monitoring military sites, and that the U.S. possesses UAP technologies. He also said he and colleagues had faced harassment and unwarranted investigations. These are his claims and have not been officially confirmed. U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Accountability
Has the Pentagon confirmed Elizondo's claims about UAP technology?+
No. AARO's March 2024 historical review reported no verifiable evidence that the U.S. government or private companies have reverse-engineered extraterrestrial technology, and no evidence that any government investigation confirmed a UAP sighting was extraterrestrial. Elizondo disputes the Pentagon's position. The Hill
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