Humanity at the Edge of Discovery
On Thursday, June 25, 2026, in Washington, D.C., lawmakers, former intelligence officials, scientists, researchers, and policy experts will gather in the Kennedy Caucus Room (Room 325) on the third floor of the Russell Senate Office Building for the Disclosure Forum 2026, themed “Humanity at the Edge of Discovery.”
The event is organized by the Disclosure Foundation. It is free and open to the public on a first-come, first-served basis. The Russell Senate Office Building opens at 7:00 a.m., with doors to the event space at 8:30 a.m. and programming from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. ET.
The Disclosure Foundation played a significant role in bringing previously classified NSA Top Secret Umbra documents into the public domain. Through a successful FOIA appeal, the organization obtained and facilitated the release of sensitive SIGINT reports detailing observations of unusual luminous, star-like objects exhibiting advanced flight characteristics. The Foundation coordinated the public release of these files on May 18, 2026, just ahead of the official second tranche of PURSUE records on May 22. Their efforts helped surface specific NSA intelligence reports that had remained restricted for years, contributing to greater transparency around government-held UAP-related data.
Confirmed participants include Senators Mike Rounds (R-SD) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Representatives Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL), Eric Burlison (R-MO), Tim Burchett (R-TN), and Suhas Subramanyam (D-VA), along with Christopher Mellon, Harvard astrophysicist Avi Loeb, clinical psychologist Jennice Vilhauer, Rear Admiral Timothy Gallaudet (Ret.), Kirk McConnell, Harold Puthoff, Carlos Eire, and others including Mike Gold, Pippa Malmgren, Matthew Tuttle, Susan Winterberg, Jonathan Miller, Marik von Rennenkampff, and Jordan Flowers. Moderators include Gadi Schwartz (NBC News) and Kristin Fisher.
Avi Loeb previously expressed frustration over the possibility that the U.S. government may already possess physical evidence or materials related to Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena. Referencing David Grusch’s claims, he questioned why he should dedicate decades of his scientific career to searching for evidence if the government is already withholding it. His well-known remark captures this sentiment:
“Why should I spend the decades of my life looking for it when the government may already have it.”
The forum will feature dedicated sessions covering several major themes. These include Security & Defense, which will examine national security implications and emerging threats; Science & Investigation, focused on moving from anecdotal reports to instrumented data; Religious Implications, exploring the philosophical and spiritual dimensions of the unprecedented; Society & Psychology, addressing how people and institutions process such developments; Technology & Innovation, looking at research, industry involvement, and what may come next; and Financial Impacts, which will consider both risks and opportunities.
Several confirmed participants in the forum have made notable recent comments regarding UAP and disclosure:
- Avi Loeb has said he was asked to assemble and lead a UAP Science Advisory Council that would advise a broader UAP Governance Board supporting federal UAP investigation, data collection, and declassification coordination.
- Representative Eric Burlison submitted the UAP Disclosure Act of 2025 as an amendment to the FY 2026 National Defense Authorization Act. The amendment would create a legal mechanism for federal control and review of recovered technologies of unknown origin and biological evidence of non-human intelligence, should such material exist.
- Jennice Vilhauer, through the Disclosure Foundation’s white paper, stated that most people would likely adapt to confirmed UAP or NHI information, but warned that the main risk lies in strain on mental health and support systems.
- Christopher Mellon has continued to advocate for the prioritized release of high-quality sensor data from government systems as an important early step toward greater transparency.
The forum occurs alongside legislative and executive efforts to formalize UAP oversight. On the executive side, President Trump directed agencies in February 2026 to begin systematic UAP record releases through the PURSUE system, which is being overseen by the Department of War with support from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI). New materials are being posted in rolling tranches every few weeks. Vice President JD Vance said on The Diary of a CEO that he had sworn to himself he would go through highly classified information about what the government knows about UFOs, but had not done so yet.
The forum follows a June 9, 2026 Capitol Hill press conference featuring David Grusch alongside Representatives Luna, Burlison, Moskowitz, Burchett, and Perry, as well as journalists Leslie Kean and James Fox and Disclosure Foundation Executive Director Jordan Flowers. The group called for stronger whistleblower protections, broader declassification, and executive action on historical UAP records.
The Disclosure Foundation’s white paper on the psychological impact of UAP/NHI disclosure concludes that most people would likely adapt without lasting impairment, with vulnerability concentrated in specific higher-risk groups. It warns that the main concern is strain on mental health and support systems and recommends creating a National Psychological Preparedness and Resilience Task Force. The paper is expected to be discussed during the Society & Psychology session.
A June 2026 Disclosure Foundation survey of 303 U.S. adults found that 84% want more government information on UAP, 69% believe UAP exist, and 59% support open congressional hearings.
The latest tranche of records under the PURSUE system reportedly included 53 documents, 10 images, 6 videos, and 3 NASA audio recordings. Materials came from the CIA, FBI, NASA, and Department of Defense/War records. The archive consists of unresolved cases where the government has been unable to make a definitive determination, often due to insufficient data. Reporting has noted that certain images and videos in the release are digital renderings or artistic recreations based on witness accounts rather than raw sensor footage.
