President Donald Trump has called the newly released Pentagon footage that appears to show unidentified flying objects (UFOs) a “hell of a video”.
The president speculated whether the videos were real, and was seemingly astounded by the footage.
“I just wonder if it’s real,” Mr Trump said. “That’s a hell of a video.”
The videos, which were recorded in 2004 and 2015 show how the unidentified objects are picked up by infrared cameras, moving at pace across the sky or rotating mid-air.
The footage was released to “to clear up any misconceptions by the public on whether or not the footage that has been circulating was real or whether or not there is more to the videos,” the Pentagon said.
“After a thorough review, the department has determined that the authorised release of these unclassified videos does not reveal any sensitive capabilities or systems, and does not impinge on any subsequent investigations of military air space incursions by unidentified aerial phenomena.”
The videos had been “circulating in the public domain after unauthorised releases in 2007 and 2017”, the Pentagon said, adding that “the aerial phenomena observed in the videos remain characterised as ‘unidentified’”.
The president previously said he doesn’t particularly believe in UFO’s in an interview with ABC News last year.
“I think it’s probably — I want them to think whatever they think. They do say, and I’ve seen, and I’ve read, and I’ve heard. And I did have one very brief meeting on it. But people are saying they’re seeing UFOs. Do I believe it? Not particularly,” Mr Trump said.
However, one of the pilots who witnessed the object in 2004 feels very different about the experience, claiming that the UFO moved in ways he could not explain.
“As I got close to it ... it rapidly accelerated to the south, and disappeared in less than two seconds,” retired US Navy pilot David Fravor told CNN in 2017.
“This was extremely abrupt, like a ping pong ball, bouncing off a wall. It would hit and go the other way.”
Former Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid has expressed that the US should be doing more to uncover the truth behind the objects.
“The US needs to take a serious, scientific look at this and any potential national security implications,” he said on Twitter. “The American people deserve to be informed.”
Additional reporting by Reuters.
