Within Navy Videos
How the Videos Became Front Page News
The Times coverage made the videos part of a government accountability story instead of just another paranormal claim.
On this page
- Why the story was framed around government spending
- How video made the policy angle travel
- What mainstream framing changed and missed
Page outline Jump by section
Introduction
The turning point in the modern Pentagon UFO story was not simply the publication of three Navy videos. It was the way The New York Times presented them. When the newspaper published its December 2017 investigations, it did not frame the footage as evidence of extraterrestrial visitors or as another entry in decades of paranormal speculation. Instead, it treated the story as one about government oversight, defence spending, military testimony and bureaucratic secrecy. That editorial choice gave the videos legitimacy in mainstream public debate and helped transform them from niche UFO material into a national political story. [Federation of American Scientists]fas.orgProgram” by Helene Cooper, Ralph Blumenthal and Leslie Kean, New York Times, December…Read more…
Within the broader history of Pentagon UFO videos and their celebrity connections, this framing proved especially influential. Public attention was certainly amplified by figures such as Tom DeLonge and the newly formed To The Stars Academy, but the Times’ reporting shifted the centre of gravity away from celebrity advocacy and towards questions that traditional news organisations routinely cover: whether government agencies had spent public money investigating unidentified aerial phenomena, why the programme had remained largely unknown, and whether military personnel were encountering objects that deserved official scrutiny. [To The Stars*]tothestars.mediaTo The Stars*The New York Times: Glowing Auras and 'Black Money'The New York Times: Glowing Auras and 'Black Money': The Pentagon's Myste…
Why the story was framed around government spending
The landmark article, “Glowing Auras and ‘Black Money’: The Pentagon’s Mysterious U.F.O. Program,” focused first on the existence of the Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program (AATIP), a Defence Department effort that reportedly received approximately US$22 million between 2007 and 2012 after support from Senator Harry Reid. Rather than leading with extraordinary claims about alien technology, the article began with a familiar investigative journalism question: what was the Pentagon doing with public funds, and why had the programme attracted so little attention? [Federation of American Scientists]fas.orgProgram” by Helene Cooper, Ralph Blumenthal and Leslie Kean, New York Times, December…Read more…
This was an important editorial decision. Government accountability is a recognised news value, whereas claims about extraterrestrial visitors traditionally struggle to meet mainstream evidentiary standards. By concentrating on a documented defence programme, named officials and congressional involvement, the newspaper placed the burden of proof on verifiable institutions instead of on speculative interpretations.
The reporting also relied heavily on identifiable sources rather than anonymous folklore. Former intelligence official Luis Elizondo appeared as a central figure describing his involvement with the programme, Senator Harry Reid publicly confirmed his support for creating it, and Navy pilots described encounters they regarded as unusual. Readers therefore encountered a conventional investigative package built around official documents, political actors and military witnesses rather than eyewitness stories from civilian UFO enthusiasts. [Vanity Fair]vanityfair.comVanity Fair"We May Not Be Alone": Inside the Times's U.F.OReportIn 2017, The New York Times published a groundbreaking front-page story revealing a secret Pentagon program dedicated to investigat…
How the videos carried the policy story
The Navy videos were visually compelling, but in the Times’ coverage they functioned primarily as supporting evidence rather than as the story itself.
The accompanying reporting linked the footage to broader questions:
- Why were trained military aviators unable to identify certain encounters?
- Why had the Defence Department funded investigations into such reports?
- Had potential aviation or national security risks received sufficient official attention?
- Why had the programme ended formally while some personnel claimed related work continued? [Federation of American Scientists]fas.orgProgram” by Helene Cooper, Ralph Blumenthal and Leslie Kean, New York Times, December…Read more…
This framing mattered because short infrared clips alone rarely sustain public attention. Once embedded inside a wider narrative about defence policy and government transparency, however, they became evidence in a debate that journalists, legislators and policymakers could legitimately discuss without endorsing extraordinary conclusions.
The Times also avoided presenting the videos as definitive proof of any particular explanation. The objects remained “unidentified”, a distinction that preserved uncertainty while allowing the underlying institutional questions to remain newsworthy. That careful separation between “unidentified” and “extraterrestrial” became one of the defining features of the newspaper’s approach. [WIRED]wired.comwhat is up with those pentagon ufo videosThe article included videos of UAPs and featured accounts from Navy pilots. The program, Advanced Aviation Threat Identification Program…
What mainstream framing changed
The impact extended well beyond readership numbers.
Before December 2017, discussion of the Navy footage circulated mainly among UFO researchers, specialist websites and communities already interested in the subject. After the Times investigation, major television networks, national newspapers and political reporters increasingly covered unidentified aerial phenomena as a defence and intelligence issue rather than purely as paranormal culture. [The Guardian]theguardian.comHer interest began in 1999 after receiving a French government-affiliated report detailing UFO sightings by credible military and commerc…
Several shifts followed:
- Language changed. “Unidentified aerial phenomena” (UAP) increasingly replaced “UFO” in official and journalistic usage, signalling an effort to reduce cultural stigma.
- The audience broadened. Readers who would normally ignore UFO stories were willing to engage with reporting about Pentagon programmes, congressional oversight and military safety.
- Political attention increased. Later congressional briefings, Pentagon task forces and intelligence assessments emerged within an environment where mainstream media had already established the subject as a legitimate public policy question rather than merely entertainment. [The Guardian]theguardian.comHer interest began in 1999 after receiving a French government-affiliated report detailing UFO sightings by credible military and commerc…
This did not mean that mainstream journalism endorsed extraordinary interpretations. Instead, it normalised investigation into unexplained military incidents while leaving the underlying explanations unresolved.
What the framing left out or understated
The Times’ editorial approach also attracted criticism from several directions.
Some sceptical commentators argued that the reporting did not sufficiently examine alternative explanations for the videos or fully scrutinise claims made by some sources, particularly regarding Luis Elizondo’s precise responsibilities within the Pentagon. Others argued that the articles could unintentionally encourage readers to associate “unidentified” with “alien” despite the reporters themselves avoiding that conclusion. [WIRED]wired.comWill The New York Times Ever Stop Reporting on UFOs?Their initial story revealed a Pentagon program investigating such phenomena, which generated significant public and media interest. Desp…
Conversely, many long-time UFO researchers believed the newspaper remained too cautious, arguing that it focused excessively on bureaucratic procedure instead of exploring broader claims about recovered materials or possible non-human technology.
These competing criticisms illustrate the distinctive balance the Times attempted to strike. It neither embraced traditional sceptical dismissal nor endorsed extraordinary conclusions. Instead, it presented unexplained military encounters as a subject worthy of investigation because credible institutions were taking them seriously.
Why this mattered for the celebrity-driven UFO moment
Within the wider story of UFOs and celebrities, the Times’ framing fundamentally changed how celebrity involvement was perceived.
Tom DeLonge and To The Stars Academy helped assemble sources, publicise the Navy videos and sustain public interest. Yet celebrity advocacy alone would probably have remained within entertainment and enthusiast circles. Publication by one of the world’s most influential newspapers shifted the conversation into mainstream journalism, allowing politicians, defence officials and broadcasters to discuss the material without relying on celebrity credibility alone. [To The Stars*]tothestars.mediaTo The Stars*The New York Times: Glowing Auras and 'Black Money'The New York Times: Glowing Auras and 'Black Money': The Pentagon's Myste…
In effect, the editorial framing separated messenger from message. Celebrity figures helped attract attention, but the news value rested on government records, military witnesses and public accountability. That distinction explains why the 2017 reporting became a lasting reference point. The videos themselves did not suddenly become more conclusive, but they acquired a new public meaning because they were embedded within an investigation about how democratic institutions manage uncertainty, classify information and justify the use of public resources. [Federation of American Scientists]fas.orgProgram” by Helene Cooper, Ralph Blumenthal and Leslie Kean, New York Times, December…Read more…
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Endnotes
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Source: wired.com
Title: what is up with those pentagon ufo videos
Link: https://www.wired.com/story/what-is-up-with-those-pentagon-ufo-videosSource snippet
The article included videos of UAPs and featured accounts from Navy pilots. The program, Advanced Aviation Threat Identification Program...
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Source: wired.com
Title: Will The New York Times Ever Stop Reporting on UFOs?
Link: https://www.wired.com/story/will-the-new-york-times-ever-stop-reporting-on-ufosSource snippet
Their initial story revealed a Pentagon program investigating such phenomena, which generated significant public and media interest. Desp...
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Source: fas.org
Link: https://fas.org/publication/aatip-list/Source snippet
Program” by Helene Cooper, Ralph Blumenthal and Leslie Kean, New York Times, December...Read more...
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Source: vanityfair.com
Title: Vanity Fair”We May Not Be Alone”: Inside the Times’s U.F.O
Link: https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2017/12/we-may-not-be-alone-ufo-report-timesSource snippet
ReportIn 2017, The New York Times published a groundbreaking front-page story revealing a secret Pentagon program dedicated to investigat...
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Source: tothestars.media
Link: https://tothestars.media/blogs/press-and-news/the-new-york-times-glowing-auras-and-black-money-the-pentagon-s-mysterious-u-f-o-program?srsltid=AfmBOoouyANJl4g0dHEoRZqGSEegWmEiHO2VINg8mnemB_R9de8GBOSjSource snippet
To The Stars*The New York Times: Glowing Auras and 'Black Money'The New York Times: Glowing Auras and 'Black Money': The Pentagon's Myste...
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Source: theguardian.com
Link: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jun/14/leslie-kean-ufo-reporter-us-government-reportSource snippet
Her interest began in 1999 after receiving a French government-affiliated report detailing UFO sightings by credible military and commerc...
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Source: Wikipedia
Title: Pentagon UFO videos
Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pentagon_UFO_videosSource snippet
Pentagon UFO videosIn the context of his continued efforts to debunk UFO material Mick West... "Will The New York Times Ever Stop Rep...
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Source: Wikipedia
Title: Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program
Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advanced_Aerospace_Threat_Identification_ProgramSource snippet
AATIP program to study UFO reports and purported paranormal phenomena.... "Inside the Pentagon's Secret UFO Program". Popular Mechanics...
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Source: military-history.fandom.com
Title: Pentagon UFO videos
Link: https://military-history.fandom.com/wiki/Pentagon_UFO_videosSource snippet
UFO videos"New UFO footage released by filmmaker panned as underwhelming". Retrieved 2025-03-16. ↑ "Upcoming UFO report: No evidence sigh...
Published: March 16, 2025
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Source: theguardian.com
Title: pentagon released ufo videos chase aliens
Link: https://www.theguardian.com/science/2026/apr/22/pentagon-released-ufo-videos-chase-aliensSource snippet
Glowing Auras and 'Black Money': The Pentagon's Mysterious UFO Program”. Apparently, the US government had been chasing UFOs for years.Re...
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Source: ralphbuncheinstitute.org
Link: https://ralphbuncheinstitute.org/ufo/Source snippet
Pentagon UFO program in 2017, written with Helene Cooper. Kean's over two decades of reporting on UFOs was profiled in The New Yorker in...
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Source: vanityfair.com
Title: “We May Not Be Alone”: Inside the Times’s U.F.O
Link: https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2017/12/we-may-not-be-alone-ufo-report-times?srsltid=AfmBOoqYHjv5Wf1fcYAwb0IXYGdnbfhdsR1KGq4TdWajXWangx-d1MLlSource snippet
Report22 Dec 2017 — For Times editors, the primary considerations that led to the A1 publication of “Glowing Auras and 'Black Money': The...
Additional References
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Link: https://www.facebook.com/Uthtime.RC/posts/for-decades-the-ufo-story-lived-in-the-shadows-half-science-half-folklore-half-c/986780543720713/Source snippet
For decades, the UFO story lived in the shadowsFor decades, the UFO story lived in the shadows — half science, half folklore, half classi...
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Source: reddit.com
Link: https://www.reddit.com/r/UFOB/comments/1j8ytl2/kaboom_the_explosive_ufo_story_that_changed_the/Source snippet
KABOOM! The Explosive UFO Story That Changed The World...The story about AATIP, Tic Tac, Elizondo, Harry Reid, and other key players was...
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Source: internationalflyingsaucerbureau.com
Link: https://www.internationalflyingsaucerbureau.com/pentagon-ufo-videos/Source snippet
Pentagon UFO videosNew reporting on CIA's role in UFO retrieval accurate: Coulthart | Cuomo... UFOs, have received extensive coverage in...
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Source: skepticalinquirer.org
Link: https://skepticalinquirer.org/2021/04/ufo-believers-a-sympathetic-look-at-tangled-connections/Source snippet
UFO Believers: A Sympathetic Look at Tangled ConnectionsAfter smoking marijuana, going into sensory deprivation tanks, and hearing voices...
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Source: api.pageplace.de
Link: https://api.pageplace.de/preview/DT0400.9780190869885_A49096134/preview-9780190869885_A49096134.pdfSource snippet
the Flying Saucers Cameunidentified flying objects with aliens by adopting a new terminology: “un-... together by Walter Webb, a man at...
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Source: cle.ens-lyon.fr
Title: 18 december 2017 secret pentagon program spent millions to research ufos
Link: https://cle.ens-lyon.fr/anglais/key-story/archives-revue-de-presse-2017/18-december-2017-secret-pentagon-program-spent-millions-to-research-ufosSource snippet
Pentagon Program Spent Millions To Research UFOs18 Dec 2017 — Pentagon admits it ran secret multimillion-dollar UFO programme between 200...
Published: december 2017
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Source: magazine.rice.edu
Title: The Truth is Right Here | Rice Magazine | Office of Public Affairs
Link: https://magazine.rice.edu/fall-2021/truth-right-hereSource snippet
2017 New York Times article titled “Glowing Auras and 'Black Money': The Pentagon's Mysterious U.F.O. Program” by Helene Cooper, Ralph Bl...
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Source: syfy.com
Title: viral navy video government ufo program showtime docuseries
Link: https://www.syfy.com/syfy-wire/viral-navy-video-government-ufo-program-showtime-docuseriesSource snippet
UFO docu-series dives into Navy videos showing...13 Aug 2021 — Showtime's 'UFO' doc-series takes a look at the 2004 Navy video that made...
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Source: reddit.com
Link: https://www.reddit.com/r/Futurology/comments/7kaauj/glowing_auras_and_black_money_the_pentagons/Source snippet
December 17, 2017, The New York Times published the article "Glowing Auras and 'Black Money': The Pentagon's Mysterious U.F.O Program...
Published: December 17, 2017
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Source: papers.ssrn.com
Link: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/Delivery.cfm/5261806.pdf?abstractid=5261806&mirid=1Source snippet
& Written by Jeremy McGowan, USAF Veteran...• Late 2017: UFO Disclosure goes mainstream – The New York Times publishes a...
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