Compelling evidence of UFOs held by the federal government suggests we are not alone in the universe, according to an expert familiar with the documents. This includes satellite images capturing extraordinary crafts unlike anything “we have built,” as shared with The Post.

Christopher Mellon, who previously served as the deputy assistant secretary of defense for intelligence during the Clinton and Bush administrations, revealed that the government’s collection of UFO-related files is extensive, featuring remarkable photos and videos.

Releasing this information to the public would elevate the current UFO discussions significantly, Mellon remarked.

Following President Trump’s directive two weeks ago, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth has been tasked with overseeing the disclosure of “files related to” extraterrestrial life, UFOs, and “all other information connected to” this “highly complex” topic, as announced by the president on Truth Social.

The announcement has prompted activity among federal agencies, including the White House and the Pentagon, though no official details have been provided regarding the specifics or timing of the release.

Mellon asserted that the most convincing data includes clear satellite images of spacecraft in orbit around Earth that are unmistakably not of human origin.

“We have satellite imagery of craft that sure don’t look like anything that we have built or constructed,” Mellon said.

Those same convincing images of craft engaging in “actions that are difficult to explain” were referenced by ex-director of national intelligence and current CIA director John Ratcliffe in a 2021 Fox News interview.

In 2017, Mellon played a key role in the release of three now famous US military radar images of Unidentified Aerial Phenomenon, or UAPs, referred to as the “Tic Tac,” “GOFAST,” and “Gimbal” — and he said there are more just like those on government hard drives.

The government now prefers the term “UAP,” or Unidentified Aerial Phenomena, to “UFO.”

“There’s a significant number of videos from the same sources that were judged unclassified in 2018 — gun cameras on F18s, [Forward Looking Infrared Radar] videos — that have been withheld from the public,” he said. 

“I know there are because I’ve seen some of them,” said Mellon, adding, “And there’s no rational reason that I can think of why those videos are being withheld.”

Though some provocative images should be included in the release, Mellon said he has no expectation for files that confirm the existence of, or contact with, alien civilizations.

The Department of War, the Department of National Intelligence, the National Security Agency, the Defense Intelligence Agency, the Department of Energy, and the National Nuclear Security Administration all have UFO files that would be relevant to the Trump-ordered release, Mellon said.

Releasing classified and sensitive materials is an “unnatural act” for intelligence agencies, he said.

“I have a feeling bureaucracy is going to react slowly and I don’t think they’re gonna put the best stuff out quickly, if they do at all,” he said. “Congressional vigilance is needed to ensure a thorough and effective process.”

Sen. Mike Rounds (R-South Dakota), senior member of the Senate Armed Service Committee, who introduced the UAP Disclosure Act with Minority Leader Chuck Schumer in 2023, is hoping for a broad release that ensures US military secrets are preserved.

Rounds hopes for “as much disclosure as we can get with regard to just being honest to the American people about what we see that we either don’t know about or that we’re learning about.

“And I just want to make sure that whatever we put out, we do not impact our own national security capabilities.”

Additional reporting by Geoff Earle