Bombshell Whistleblower: What USAF Ex-Intelligence Official David Grusch Revealed Under Oath

In the summer of 2023, a former high-ranking US intelligence official stepped forward with allegations that captured global attention. David Grusch claimed that the United States government has operated a secret, multi-decade program to recover and reverse-engineer non-human origin vehicles, often referred to as UFOs or UAPs (unidentified anomalous phenomena). He further asserted that officials recovered non-human biologics from crash sites and that physical evidence exists in the form of intact and partially intact craft.

Who Is David Grusch?

David Charles Grusch served as a decorated intelligence officer for 14 years. He began his career in the US Air Force, reaching the rank of major, and later held senior civilian positions at the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) and the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA). Grusch acted as the NRO representative to the Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Task Force from 2019 to 2021 and co-led UAP analysis efforts at the NGA until mid-2022. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in physics from the University of Pittsburgh and advanced training in intelligence and space operations. Grusch is an Afghanistan combat veteran with top-secret clearances and contributed to drafting portions of the National Defense Authorization Act of 2023 that addressed UAP reporting and whistleblower protections.

His background lent credibility to his later disclosures. Grusch described himself as having been in positions of extreme trust, with access to highly classified programs. He became a whistleblower after encountering what he viewed as improper secrecy surrounding UAP-related activities.

The Core Claims: Crash Retrievals, Non-Human Vehicles, and Biologics

In a June 2023 interview published by The Debrief, Grusch detailed allegations that the US government, in collaboration with private aerospace contractors and allies, maintains special access programs dedicated to the recovery and reverse engineering of craft of non-human origin. He stated that these programs have retrieved both intact and partially intact vehicles, as well as fragments, over many decades. According to Grusch, analysis of the materials revealed exotic origins, determined through material science testing, unique atomic arrangements, and radiological signatures that pointed to non-human intelligence, whether extraterrestrial or of unknown origin.

Grusch emphasized that the recoveries were not limited to debris. He claimed the government possesses non-human biologics recovered from crash sites. In his words, these were assessed as biological remains from the pilots or occupants of the craft by individuals with direct knowledge who remained active in the programs. He also referenced historical cases, such as a craft allegedly recovered in Italy in 1933 under Benito Mussolini’s government and later acquired by the United States after World War II with assistance from the Vatican and Five Eyes partners.

Importantly, Grusch clarified that his information came secondhand. Over four years, he said he interviewed more than 40 credible witnesses, including current and former military and intelligence personnel. Many of these individuals reportedly provided him with photography, official documentation, and classified oral testimony. Grusch stated he corroborated the accounts as thoroughly as possible while serving in the UAP Task Force. He claimed he was denied access to the programs themselves when he requested read-ons, despite his high-level clearances.

He further alleged that secrecy around these efforts involved white-collar crime and that some individuals had been harmed or killed to protect the programs, though he declined to provide details in open settings.

Congressional Testimony and the Push for Transparency

On July 26, 2023, Grusch testified under oath before the House Oversight Committee’s national security subcommittee. In his opening statement, he reiterated that he had been informed during official duties of a multi-decade UAP crash retrieval and reverse-engineering program. He told lawmakers that the United States possesses UAPs of non-human origin and that non-human biologics had been recovered. Grusch offered to share specific locations and classified details in a sensitive compartmented information facility (SCIF) but provided no physical evidence or firsthand accounts during the public hearing.

His whistleblower complaint, filed with the Intelligence Community Inspector General in 2022, was deemed credible and urgent. Grusch reported experiencing retaliation for coming forward, including administrative actions that he said made him fear for his safety.

The hearing also featured testimony from Navy pilots Ryan Graves and David Fravor, who described their own encounters with unexplained objects. Lawmakers from both parties called for greater oversight and reduced stigma around UAP reporting.

Government Response and the Question of Evidence

The Department of Defense and the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) have repeatedly denied the existence of any such crash retrieval or reverse-engineering programs involving non-human technology. Officials stated that no verifiable evidence supports claims of extraterrestrial materials or biologics in US possession. NASA and other agencies have echoed this position, noting that while many UAP cases remain unexplained, none have yielded proof of non-human origin.

Critics, including former AARO director Sean Kirkpatrick, have suggested that Grusch’s claims may stem from circular reporting within a small group of interconnected individuals or from misunderstandings of legitimate classified programs unrelated to extraterrestrials. Grusch has maintained that he provided extensive classified information to Congress and the inspector general, but none of that material has been declassified or released publicly as of 2026.

References

• Kean, Leslie, and Ralph Blumenthal. “Intelligence Officials Say U.S. Has Retrieved Craft of Non-Human Origin.” The Debrief, June 5, 2023.

• NPR. “U.S. Recovered Non-Human ‘Biologics’ from UFO Crash Sites, Former Intel Official Says.” July 27, 2023.

• Wikipedia contributors. “David Grusch UFO Whistleblower Claims.” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Accessed April 2026.

• US House Committee on Oversight and Accountability. Hearing Transcript: “Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena: Implications on National Security, Public Safety, and Government Transparency.” July 26, 2023.