In the first half of 2025, there have been over 2000 reported sightings of Unidentified Flying Objects (UFOs) in the United States, according to data from a non-profit organization that records UFO sightings.
The National UFO Reporting Center (NUFORC) collected 2174 reports of UFO sightings in the first half of 2025, showing an increase compared to previous years. In the same period of 2024, the organization recorded 1492 sightings, while in 2023, there were 2077 sightings.
Although the organization received over 3000 reports in the first half of 2025, it pointed out that many of these sightings actually occurred several years or even decades ago due to the stigma surrounding UFOs in society.
Christian Stepien, the Chief Technical Officer of the organization, mentioned that these figures likely represent only a small portion of actual sightings. Based on informal estimates, he believes that only about 5% of sightings are reported.
Reports to the organization come from ordinary citizens, air traffic controllers, police, military personnel, and various other sources.
Recently, the topic of UFOs or Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP) has been making frequent headlines as U.S. lawmakers push for increased transparency on the issue. The U.S. government often uses the term “unidentified anomalous phenomena” to refer to such occurrences.
David Grusch, a former intelligence officer at the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA), came forward in 2023 claiming that the Pentagon had been running a decades-long program related to unidentified anomalous phenomena, including the retrieval of unidentified flying objects, some of which he referred to as “non-human biological entities.”
His testimony prompted congressional hearings and heightened public interest in UFO sightings.
Subsequently, several other individuals with government ties have come forward to support Grusch’s allegations, stating that the Department of Defense did not disclose relevant information truthfully to the public or Congress.
Meanwhile, the Pentagon maintains that there is no evidence linking these sightings to extraterrestrial life and denies the existence of a UFO retrieval program.
Many people remain skeptical of the government’s denials, including lawmakers advocating for increased transparency regarding UFO sightings.
Stepien once said, “So many people have seen so many things. If this were a top-secret military project, you wouldn’t fly it over densely populated areas where everyone can see it, and in this day and age, people can even capture it on camera.”
(this article references a report by “The Hill”)