Science Magazine: Pentagon statement on Travis Taylor altered
Science Magazine published an article regarding Dr. Travis Taylor's role with the UAP Task Force that contained a modified Pentagon quotation. The altered wording suggested Taylor was only an informal contributor, contrary to his actual chief scientist position. Department of Defense spokesperson Susan Gough later confirmed the quoted statement was inaccurate.
Background
On June 29, 2022, Science Magazine released an article by journalist Keith Kloor concerning Dr. Travis Taylor, recently identified as the chief scientist for the U.S. government's UAP Task Force. The piece emphasized Taylor's beliefs in paranormal phenomena while minimizing his extensive academic credentials. Significantly, the article attributed a statement to the Pentagon describing Taylor as merely an 'informal' chief scientist.
Investigative follow-up by TheBlackVault uncovered that the quotation differed from the official Pentagon statement provided to other outlets. Susan Gough, spokesperson for the Department of Defense, explicitly confirmed that the wording inside the quotation marks was incorrect and not a direct quote of the official communication. The modification appeared to deliberately diminish Taylor's formal role within the classified government program, raising serious questions about editorial standards and potential bias in mainstream scientific journalism regarding unidentified aerial phenomena.