Navy Denies FOIA Appeal for 78 Classified UAP Photographs Despite Trumps Disclosure Directives
On February 24, 2026, the U.S. Navy formally rejected an administrative appeal by The Black Vault seeking release of 78 classified UAP photographs. The denial came despite President Trumps public calls for UFO file declassification, with the Navy citing FOIA Exemption (b)(1) and stating segregation of releasable portions was not possible.
Background
The U.S. Navy rejected The Black Vaults administrative appeal seeking release of 78 classified photographs designated as unidentified aerial phenomena. The appeal decision, dated February 24, 2026 and tracked as 2026-NavyAppeal-000123, upheld the original November 2024 denial under FOIA case DON-NAVY-2022-012661.
Background
The Black Vault filed the original FOIA request in September 2022 seeking all photographs archived by the U.S. Navy with the designation of unidentified aerial phenomena or UAP. In November 2024, the Navy confirmed that 78 responsive photographs existed but withheld them entirely under FOIA Exemption (b)(1), citing Executive Order 13526 classification authority. The Black Vault appealed in November 2025.
Key Details
The appeal authority determined that the records remain classified and that segregation was not possible, meaning no redacted portions could be released. The Navy emphasized that properly classified information under FOIA Exemption (b)(1) leaves agencies with no discretion regarding release decisions. This outcome stands in notable contrast to President Trumps public statements directing the Pentagon to release UFO-related files, highlighting the gap between executive rhetoric and institutional classification practices.
Significance
This appeal denial demonstrates the persistence of military classification barriers against UAP transparency, even when the commander-in-chief has publicly called for disclosure.