US: NDAA 2026 signed with UAP provisions
On December 18, 2025, President Trump signed the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026 into law. It mandates disclosures of UAP intercepts by NORAD and NORTHCOM to Congress, centralizes data under AARO, and addresses classification barriers.
Background
Background
The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for fiscal year 2026 was signed into law by President Trump on December 18, 2025. This marks the fifth consecutive year with specific provisions on unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP), at §§ 1671–1673.
Core Provisions
The act requires retrospective and continuing reporting to Congress on UAP intercepts by NORAD and NORTHCOM, including the number, locations, and nature of incidents since 2004, along with protocols and data collected. It centralises all UAP data under the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) and eliminates duplicate reporting obligations by ensuring the availability of data from the intelligence services and defence departments. AARO must also disclose its security classification guidance and produce a uniform classification matrix.
Significance
These measures increase transparency, reduce obstacles to the sharing of information, and strengthen oversight of military UAP encounters, particularly given the growing number of reports of drones and UAP near sensitive installations. They respond to calls for declassification and represent first steps toward better oversight. No specific witnesses or physical evidence are named; the focus is on legal and institutional change.