UFO'S ARE A PHENOMENA OF THE COLD WAR*

‘Something is in our airspace’: Rep. Tim Burchett explains why he's so obsessed with UFOs


Devarrick Turner, Knoxville News Sentinel
Fri, January 20, 2023

Have you ever looked up at the sky and thought you saw something that looked strange – a flying saucer, maybe? Or perhaps you’ve pondered the possibility of extraterrestrial life.

Whether you believe in "unidentified flying objects" visiting Earth, the number of UFO reports is increasing, 171 of which the U.S. government says remain "uncharacterized and unattributed" and may “have demonstrated unusual flight characteristics or performance capabilities (that) require further analysis."

U.S. Rep. Tim Burchett doesn't harbor doubts. He calls them a national security concern and believes the federal government has been hiding the truth about UFOs since the 1940s.

“What is really concerning to me is that something is in our airspace that we have no control over, that we have no idea why it's there or what it's doing or where it came from and, to me, that is very concerning from a security standpoint,” the Republican congressman from Knoxville told Knox News.

Congressman Tim Burchett speaks during a monument unveiling ceremony at Powell High School in Powell, Tenn., on Thursday, Nov. 9, 2022. The monument honors 13 veterans killed in action spanning from WWII, the Vietnam War and the Korean War who graduated from the high school.

How military pilots persuaded Rep. Tim Burchett that UFOs exist

Burchett has been speaking out about UFOs after the Office of the Director of National Intelligence released its 2022 report confirming it has investigated 510 total cases of “unidentified anomalous phenomena” – or UAP as they are called now, rather than UFOs. Since June 2021, a total of 247 incidents have been reported, many of those filed by U.S. Navy and Air Force pilots.

Many were determined to have been caused by drones, balloons, weather events, airborne plastic bags or even birds. But 171 others are simply unexplained.

This isn't the first time Burchett has been open on this topic. He has long believed the government was covering up knowledge about UFO sightings and otherworldly aircraft, technology and materials.

“I get it. People will talk down to me and they'll make fun of me and make comments about little green men,” he told Knox News. “But I've had people that are actual pilots that have shared photos with me. Military people that, at one time, had some pretty good credentials.

“I've met with scientists, some of the top people in the world, that tell me that we have extraterrestrial craft in our airspace on a regular basis,” Burchett added.

He encourages people to watch the "tic-tac" video, and other videos recorded by military pilots and released by the Pentagon that depict flying objects inexplicably moving at incredible speeds, quickly spinning and changing directions, and mysteriously disappearing.

A Congress-sanctioned report on UFOs was released in June 2021.

Why Burchett believes the government is covering up the existence of UFOs

The Tennessee congressman contends arrogance in the federal government is preventing transparency and truth on this topic that carries a stigma against those who believe.

“I just think open records are the best thing for any kind of government. I think the more secrets you have, the more it creates corruption and other things,” Burchett told Knox News.

The Office of the Director of National Intelligence report does not specifically reveal any decades-long cover-up of UAP material or knowledge. In fact, it states “limited data on UAP continues to be a challenge.” However, it does acknowledge that UAP present a hazard to flight safety and pose a threat from adversaries – presumably earthly or beyond.

Multiple government agencies, including the Department of Defense and the intelligence community, are working together to collect and analyze UAP data.

“We are confident that continued multiagency cooperative UAP prosecution activities will likely result in greater awareness of objects in and across the air, space, and maritime domains … in the future,” the report says.

Burchett doesn’t put much stock in these claims, though. He shared with Knox News that he’s been told by trusted people with knowledge that the government has evidence of extraterrestrial material but has continued to publicly deny its existence.

“According to (the federal government), our little minds just can't handle (the truth), and that's that arrogance,” he said. “I just don't buy that.”

With added whistleblower protection for those who report UAP sightings and information, Burchett is hopeful more people will publicly come forward with information.

Burchett – who has made appearances on History Channel’s “Ancient Aliens” – does caution against fake reports.

“Knowledge is good,” he said, but programs like “Ancient Aliens” can sensationalize the issue. For him, what really matters is scientific analysis and reports from experienced military pilots and personnel who have had security clearances and access to government information.

“I think it's gonna shock people about the vastness of our universe. You really, honestly, think we're the best that God can do?” Burchett asked.

Who do you call if you see a UFO?

If you happen to spot “unidentified anomalous phenomena,” what do you do? According to the Federal Aviation Administration, you should report it to an organization such as the National UFO Reporting Center or even alert local law enforcement.

FAA Unidentified Flying Object reporting guidelines listed online say:

"Persons wanting to report UFO/unexplained phenomena activity should contact a UFO/ unexplained phenomena reporting data collection center, such as the National UFO Reporting Center, etc.

"If concern is expressed that life or property might be endangered, report the activity to the local law enforcement department."

Burchett mistrusts how the federal government would handle such reports. “I would suggest if you reported anything to the federal government that it will either be covered up or they will not act on it,” he said.

He suggests contacting organizations like the Mutual UFO Network, a nonprofit that has studied UFO reports worldwide since 1969.

You can even reach out to Burchett's office if you have an encounter by calling 865-523-3722 or sending an email through his website, Burchett.house.gov.

You never know when you might have to make that contact.

Devarrick Turner is a trending news reporter for Knox News. He can be reached by email at devarrick.turner@knoxnews.com. 

This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Rep. Tim Burchett explains why he's so obsessed with UFOs

*WHICH IS WHY RT, SIBERIAN TIMES AND OTHER RUSSIAN MEDIA LOVE UFO STORIES TOO