Trump Moves to Release UFO Files While Epstein Records Remain Redacted, Protecting Powerful Figures Like Musk

The Trump administration made headlines this week when it announced plans to release top-secret government files related to UFOs and extraterrestrial life.. Yet at the same time, the administration has continued to withhold fully unredacted records connected to the Jeffrey Epstein case — shielding powerful figures such as Elon Musk, who reporting has suggested had more extensive ties to Epstein than initially acknowledged.

Trump said he was directing the disclosure effort “based on the tremendous interest shown” by the public in what has long been one of the most enduring mysteries in American political and cultural life. For decades, speculation about unidentified aerial phenomena has fueled bipartisan calls for government transparency, and curiosity about what officials may know has only intensified in recent years.

Despite this push for openness on UFOs, fully unredacted records tied to Epstein’s network remain largely out of public view. Activists and some lawmakers argue those documents should be disclosed under measures such as the Epstein Files Transparency Act, passed in 2025, which requires the Department of Justice to release unclassified materials related to Epstein and his associates. Even so, many key names, communications, and investigative details remain blacked out or inaccessible.