The Pentagon is reportedly looking to replace its top official on UFOs, Dr. Sean Kirkpatrick, according to recent reports. Kirkpatrick currently heads the Pentagon’s All-Domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO), which was created last year to investigate UFO sightings by the military.
However, Kirkpatrick has faced growing criticism and accusations from whistleblowers like former intelligence officer David Grusch. Grusch has accused Kirkpatrick of lying and covering up information about secret Pentagon programs related to retrieving and reverse-engineering UFO technology.
According to reports, the Pentagon has interviewed multiple candidates to potentially replace Kirkpatrick amid the controversies. Sources say a decision has already been made on a new chief for AARO after interviewing four major candidates.
The Pentagon has not yet made any official announcement about Kirkpatrick stepping down or being replaced. But some officials expect the change in leadership to happen quietly without a formal press release.
Kirkpatrick has defended himself against the whistleblower accusations, saying he has interviewed over 30 people regarding the alleged retrieval programs and found no evidence to support the claims. However, critics like Grusch assert Kirkpatrick cannot be trusted and have declined his offers to be interviewed.
There are conflicting reports on whether Kirkpatrick plans to voluntarily leave AARO soon for a position at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The Pentagon maintains he is still the AARO director. But the leadership change seems imminent given the swirling controversies, as the Pentagon looks to chart a new direction for its UFO investigations.