Imminent: Inside the Pentagon's Hunt for UFOs

In Imminent, Luis Elizondo describes his pivotal role in raising public awareness about unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP). His work, both within and outside the US Department of Defense (DoD), has contributed significantly to the conversation about UAP and their potential implications for national security, scientific inquiry, and public discourse. Elizondo is best known for his involvement in the Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program (AATIP), a secretive program within the DoD that investigated UAP sightings and reports. In 2017, Elizondo resigned from the Pentagon, citing frustration with what he described as a lack of support from senior officials for investigating UAP. In December 2017, The New York Times published an article revealing the existence of the AATIP, based in part on information provided by Elizondo.

Elizondo has faced significant criticism for his high-profile role in the UAP disclosure movement. One of the primary areas of controversy revolves around his claims about his role in the AATIP. While Elizondo has asserted that he was the program’s director, some former Pentagon officials have disputed this. Reporter Keith Kloor, writing for The Intercept in 2019, obtained the following statement from Pentagon spokesperson Christopher Sherwood: “Mr. Elizondo had no responsibilities with regard to the AATIP while he worked in OUSDI [the Office of Undersecretary of Defense for Intelligence] up until the time he resigned effective 10/4/2017” (Kloor, Keith. “The Media Loves This UFO Expert.” The Intercept, 1 June 2019). These statements have fueled skepticism about Elizondo’s credibility, with critics suggesting that he may have exaggerated his role to promote his post-government career. In Imminent, Elizondo vehemently defends his claims, accusing the Pentagon of a coordinated effort to discredit him. Supporters of Elizondo argue that the Pentagon’s attempts to downplay his involvement in the AATIP are politically motivated and designed to limit further scrutiny of the government’s knowledge of UAP.

Another area of criticism comes from skeptics who question the nature of the UAP encounters themselves. While the declassified Navy videos have captured the public’s imagination, critics argue that these sightings often have more mundane explanations, such as advanced drones, optical illusions, or sensor malfunctions. When sightings cannot be conclusively explained, it is because of a lack of adequate data, not because the data present clear evidence of an inexplicable phenomenon. As of now, there is no compelling evidence to suggest that UAP are extraterrestrial in origin. Elizondo’s claims of a widespread government coverup—including the claim that the government has recovered extraterrestrial bodies from UAP crash sites—are not supported by any publicly available evidence.

Additionally, Elizondo has faced criticism from some within the UFO community itself. While many view him as a whistleblower and a key figure in pushing for UAP disclosure, others have expressed skepticism about his motivations. Some have noted the clear commercial incentives around Elizondo’s work, including his partnership with the for-profit To the Stars Academy run by former Blink-182 guitarist Tom DeLonge. Others have accused Elizondo of being a disinformation agent, suggesting that his work is part of a broader government effort to control the narrative around UAP and obscure the truth about extraterrestrial visitation. These critics often argue that Elizondo’s focus on UAP as potential security threats serves to perpetuate a fear-based narrative that distracts from more profound questions about humanity’s place in the universe.