Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL) opened a Sept. 9 congressional hearing on Unidentified Anomalous Objects (UAPs) with allegations of government secrecy and resistance, framing the issue as one of national security and accountability.
Luna, who has investigated claims alongside Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) at Eglin Air Force Base and heard testimony from whistleblowers, alleged that pilots and service members may have been pressured into silence, fearing retaliation and career consequences.
“Today, I want to state clearly: this is not science fiction or creating speculation. This is about national security, government accountability and the American people’s right to the truth,” Luna said in her opening remarks.
The hearing, titled Restoring Public Trust Through UAP Transparency and Whistleblower Protection, included the unveiling of previously unseen footage. The video, described as grainy and aged, appeared to show an unidentified object deflecting a Hellfire missile.
Expert witnesses included Navy Officer Alexandro Wiggins, Air Force veteran Jeffrey Nuccetelli and journalist George Knapp. Nuccetelli testified that between 2003 and 2005, Vandenberg Air Force Base experienced multiple UAP incidents during what the National Reconnaissance Office considered critical launches.
“These facilities were vital – and they were repeatedly visited by UAP,” Nuccetelli said. “Each incident was witnessed by multiple personnel, documented, investigated, and reported up the chain of command. We sent information up, but no guidance came down. I personally witnessed one of these events and investigated others.”
One incident, on Oct. 14, 2003, became known as the “Vandenberg Red Square,” when Boeing contractors reported a “massive, glowing red square silently hovering over two missile defense sites” before drifting east.
Wiggins testified that Feb. 15, 2023, near Southern California ranges, he witnessed – corroborated by shipboard sensors – “four Tic-Tac-like objects, one emerging from the ocean, then departing in synchronized fashion without conventional signatures.”
Knapp, who has covered UAPs for decades, said government records obtained through the Freedom of Information Act told a different story than official denials. “The public has been told over and over since the late 40s, ‘there’s nothing to worry about here,’” Knapp said. “That changed for me. What got me hooked is the paper trail.”
When asked by Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) whether UAP reports could be a government psyop, Knapp responded: “entirely possible,” noting that governments have admitted to using UFO narratives to obscure secret projects.
Throughout the hearing, witnesses emphasized the need for systems that allow service members and civilians to report UAP encounters without fear of ridicule or retribution.