White House authorized secret UFO 'retrieval' program, Coulthart says | Reality Check

Ross Coulthart fields audience questions on NewsNation’s Reality Check, ranging from US UAP secrecy claims to reported aerial incursions over Australian military bases. He welcomes billionaire Robert Bigelow’s return to public commentary and suggests the period ahead of US midterm elections could bring increased “exposure” in the UAP space.

On US government activity, Coulthart alleges a covert “luring and retrieval” operation exists involving the White House, ODNI and the Defense Department, claiming it was authorised “directly by the president” and remains active. He separately accuses the Pentagon’s AARO of misleading the public, saying he knows the identities of AARO representatives who allegedly observed retrieval activity at White Sands; he provides no documentation in the episode.

Coulthart discusses claims about “non-human intelligences” and revisits longstanding allegations of secret agreements, referencing David Grusch’s prior remarks and disputed Majestic 12 material. He rejects the idea that scientist Avi Loeb is part of a disinformation effort, while claiming Loeb’s advisory group is frustrated by limited access to classified data.

Shifting to Australia, Coulthart describes local reports of silent, orb-like objects near RAAF Base Williamtown and says official figures show “drone or unidentified” incursions at ADF bases rising from 21 (FY23) to 60 (2024) and 147 (last year). He also recounts an anecdote from Jacques Vallée’s journals about Donald Rumsfeld allegedly telling astronomer J. Allen Hynek he lacked a “need to know” about a secret UFO study, and answers a question about why NASA has not released continuous full-orbit Moon video, citing technical and programme choices.

• Coulthart alleges a White House-authorised covert UAP “luring and retrieval” operation involving ODNI and Defense.
• He accuses AARO of deception and claims AARO personnel witnessed alleged retrieval operations at White Sands.
• He says Australia’s reported ADF base incursions rose from 21 (FY23) to 60 (2024) and 147 (last year).
• He argues “drone” is often used as a default label for unexplained objects at sensitive sites.
• He rejects claims Avi Loeb is part of a disinformation operation, while saying Loeb’s advisory body lacks access to classified data.
• He revisits longstanding allegations of secret agreements with “non-human intelligences”, stressing uncertainty and lack of corroboration.
• He recounts a Vallée/Hynek anecdote suggesting Rumsfeld may have had UAP programme knowledge.