By Steve Neavling
FBI agents investigating “unidentified anomalous phenomena” (UAPs) fear they could lose their jobs in a potential purge of officials involved in Jan. 6 cases, according to multiple sources familiar with the matter, Politico reports.
The secretive FBI working group, which has never been publicly disclosed before, consists of a national program manager and over a dozen agents tracking UAPs across the country. Several members also worked on cases tied to the Capitol attack. Now, all FBI agents are required to complete a questionnaire about their work on Jan. 6, raising concerns that the effort could be used to justify a Trump-ordered shake-up at the agency.
Ryan Graves, a former Navy pilot and executive director of Americans for Safe Aerospace, said he has spoken to multiple agents worried about their roles disappearing.
“I am concerned that the FBI’s UAP Working Group could be affected by transition changes, and these leaders might not be aware of the incredible work these agents are doing and how their investigation could be empowered as part of a formalized intergovernmental effort,” he said.
For over a year, Graves’ organization has worked with the FBI team, connecting them with witnesses and intelligence leads. The agents, he said, conduct interviews and supplement reports with classified information.
“This working group is uniquely positioned to investigate UAPs due to their joint law enforcement and intelligence authorities,” he said.
The FBI declined to comment on personnel matters but acknowledged its role in investigating UAPs when there is a potential violation of federal law.
“We gather, share, and analyze intelligence to combat security threats facing the U.S.,” the bureau said in a statement.
Interest in UAPs surged after the Pentagon’s Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program was revealed in 2017, leading to bipartisan efforts in Congress to increase government transparency. Former Sen. Marco Rubio, now Secretary of State, was among those pushing for deeper investigations, warning in 2023 that advanced objects are routinely entering sensitive airspace.
Trump-era officials have also advocated for more scrutiny of unidentified objects. CIA Director John Ratcliffe, who previously served as director of national intelligence, said in 2021 that “there are a lot more sightings than have been made public” and described objects moving at speeds that defy known technology. National security adviser Mike Waltz has called for the government to take the issue “incredibly seriously.”
The uncertainty surrounding the FBI’s UAP group has alarmed those who have worked with its agents. Former Army intelligence officer Caison Best, who reported witnessing a UAP in Colorado, said dismantling the team would be a major setback.
“If FBI agents are the mechanism to bring this under a legal umbrella, they’re doing unbelievably critical work,” he said.
