Navy Rejects Release of 78 Classified UAP Images, Citing National Security

The U.S. Navy has formally denied an appeal seeking the release of 78 photographs categorized as "unidentified aerial phenomena" (UAP), just days after former President Donald Trump publicly called for the disclosure of such files. This decision, dated February 24, 2026, upholds an earlier full denial of a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request initially filed by The Black Vault in September 2022. The Navy maintains that all 78 photographs remain classified under Executive Order 13526 and the UAP Classification Guide, asserting that their release would compromise national defense or foreign policy interests.

The original FOIA request sought all UAP-designated photographs archived by the U.S. Navy. In November 2024, the Navy confirmed the existence of these 78 responsive photographs but withheld them entirely under FOIA Exemption (b)(1). The Office of the Judge Advocate General, in its appeal response, confirmed the continued classification of these records, stating that segregation or redaction of any portion of the photographs was not possible due to their inherent classified nature.

The Navy emphasized that under FOIA Exemption (b)(1), there is no discretion to release information properly classified in the interest of national defense or foreign policy. The appellate authority stated it must defer to the Original Classification Authority (OCA), concluding that the OCA's classification of the records satisfies the requirements under the exemption. This denial highlights the ongoing tension between public calls for transparency regarding UAP and the government's commitment to protecting classified national security information.