Pentagon: Chris Mellon Contacts AATIP and Becomes Key Disclosure Ally
In 2017, former Deputy ASDI Christopher Mellon contacted AATIP at the Pentagon SCIF, obtained clearance within one week, and became a critical ally in the disclosure effort.
Background
In 2017, Christopher Mellon, former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Intelligence, visited the Pentagon SCIF and made contact with AATIP. He already knew the program existed and requested to be read onto it. Elizondo tested him by requiring security clearance tickets, which Mellon obtained within one week.
After a three-hour briefing, Mellon pledged his support and became a critical member of the disclosure effort. His connections — as a member of the prominent Mellon family (Carnegie Mellon, Gulf Oil, Mellon Bank) and former overseer of all DoD intelligence activities and SAPs — made him uniquely positioned to bridge the gap between the intelligence community and public advocacy.
Significance
Mellon's involvement brought high-level intelligence community credentials and strategic connections to the disclosure effort.