Person
Harry Reid
Also known as Senator Reid
- U.S. Senator (D-NV); Senate Majority Leader
Harry Reid was a Democratic U.S. Senator from Nevada (1987–2017) and Senate Majority Leader (2007–2015), and the politician most responsible for the Pentagon's modern UAP programs. By his own account his interest came from Robert Bigelow, the Las Vegas billionaire who was a longtime friend and, according to FEC records, a contributor to his campaign committee and leadership PAC from 1998 to 2010.
In 2007–2008, with Senators Daniel Inouye and Ted Stevens, he directed $22 million in defense appropriations to the DIA. The money funded AAWSAP, which was contracted to Bigelow's BAASS, the company of his friend and donor, and later carried on informally as AATIP. In 2009 he asked for the effort to be made a special access program, and the Pentagon refused on James Clapper's advice. After DIA cancelled the program in 2012, he and Senator Joseph Lieberman backed the failed KONA BLUE proposal at DHS. AARO's 2024 report documents these steps, and describes the contractor's work at Skinwalker Ranch as UAP and paranormal research outside the program's official purpose.
After The New York Times revealed the program in December 2017, he spoke publicly for transparency. In The Phenomenon (2020) he said that "most of it hasn't seen the light of day". David Grusch says he briefed Reid in 2021 and was told the U.S. held UFO material Reid had been denied access to for decades. Jay Stratton says Reid was his first congressional briefing, in 2007. Reid died in December 2021. His former chief of staff could not confirm Stratton's account of what he was briefed.
Sources: AARO historical report (2024) · The New York Times and Politico (16 December 2017) · FEC records · The Phenomenon (2020) · Joe Rogan Experience #2065 (Grusch) · PARADIGM (October 2026) · Wikipedia
Facts and claims
- documented Secured the funding for AAWSAP in 2008. Source: doc-aaro-historical-record-report-v1.pdf
- documented AARO's 2024 report says that at his direction the Defense Appropriations Acts for fiscal years 2008 and 2010 gave the DIA $22 million to assess long-term foreign advanced aerospace threats, and that on 24 June 2009 he wrote to Deputy Secretary of Defense William Lynn asking for AAWSAP/AATIP to be made a special access program. Lynn declined on the advice of Under Secretary James Clapper that the designation was not justified. Source: AARO Historical Record Report, Volume 1
- documented The same report says that after DIA cancelled AAWSAP, Senators Joseph Lieberman and Reid asked that a prospective special access program at DHS, KONA BLUE, be established with the promise of additional funding; DHS leadership rejected it. Source: AARO Historical Record Report, Volume 1
- claimed He told The New York Times in 2017 that his interest in UFOs came from Robert Bigelow, “a billionaire entrepreneur and longtime friend of Mr. Reid's”: in 2007 Bigelow told him a DIA official wanted to visit his Utah ranch. Reid then met DIA officials, learned they wanted to start a UFO research program, and summoned Senators Ted Stevens and Daniel Inouye to a secure room in the Capitol. — Harry Reid Source: nytimes.com (archived)
- documented Federal Election Commission records list contributions from Robert Bigelow to Reid's campaign committee, Friends for Harry Reid, in 1998, 2003 and 2010, and to his leadership PAC, the Searchlight Leadership Fund, in 2003 and 2004, including $5,000 from Bigelow Development Aerospace LLC. Politico put Bigelow's giving to Reid's reelection campaigns at “at least $10,000 from 1998 to 2008”. Source: fec.gov (archived)
- claimed Hal Puthoff dates the program's origin to June 2007, initiated by Reid with Senators Daniel Inouye and Ted Stevens. — Hal Puthoff Source: Hal Puthoff Presentation 06/08/2018 at 4:38
- claimed Jay Stratton says the first congressional briefing he gave on UAP was to Reid in 2007. — Jay Stratton Source: Jay Stratton on Fox News Special Report with Bret Baier (13 October 2026) at 10:55
- claimed Asked whether some evidence still hasn't seen the light of day, he said: “I'm saying most of it hasn't seen the light of day.” — Harry Reid Source: The Phenomenon: official trailer at 0:59
- claimed David Grusch says he briefed Reid at his Las Vegas home about nine months before Reid's death, and that Reid told him: “yeah I knew we had UFO material I was denied access for decades”. — David Grusch Source: Joe Rogan Experience #2065 - David Grusch at 26:55
- claimed George Knapp testified that congressional investigator Richard D'Amato, sent by Senators Robert Byrd and Reid, got into Area 51 and came to believe the reverse-engineering program had moved inside corporations. — George Knapp Source: Restoring Public Trust Through UAP Transparency and Whistleblower Protection at 1:59:32
- claimed Harry Reid's former chief of staff Susan McCue said of Jay Stratton's claim that Reid was mistakenly briefed on the legacy program: “I've heard that a few times but am not able to confirm”. Source: paradigm.news (archived)
Connected files
Claims
Events
- The New York Times reveals the Pentagon UFO program (named in) — It revealed AATIP, funded at Senator Reid's request
Documentaries
- The Phenomenon (appears in)
News
- Kirkpatrick answers Stratton: "There is no legacy program" (mentioned in) — Reid's former chief of staff could not confirm Stratton's claim that Reid was mistakenly briefed
Places
- Skinwalker Ranch (funded research at) — AARO says the AAWSAP contractor's work at the ranch was paranormal research outside the program's purpose
- Area 51 (sent investigator to) — Knapp says investigator Richard D'Amato, sent by Senators Byrd and Reid, got into Area 51
Programs
- KONA BLUE (backed) — With Senator Lieberman he backed the failed KONA BLUE proposal at DHS
- Advanced Aerospace Weapon System Applications Program (requested) — AARO: the FY2008 and FY2010 appropriations for the work were made “At the direction of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid”
People
- Robert Bigelow (friend of) — A longtime friend and campaign donor, Bigelow first interested Reid in the subject in 2007
- Jay Stratton (briefed by) — Stratton says Reid was his first congressional briefing, in 2007; Reid's former chief of staff could not confirm what he was briefed
- David Grusch (briefed by) — Grusch says he briefed Reid in 2021 and was told the U.S. held material Reid had been denied access to
- Hal Puthoff (statements by)
- George Knapp (statements by)
- Kirsten Gillibrand (credited by) — She said the work begun by Reid revealed “strong evidence of advanced technology”
Videos
- Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP) Public Hearing - In Full - April 19, 2023 (discussed in)
- Restoring Public Trust Through UAP Transparency and Whistleblower Protection (discussed in)
- “He ran the Pentagon's secret UFO program, and says we've been played”: James Lacatski, part 1 (WEAPONIZED, November 2025) (discussed in)
- Mystery Wire: the Bigelow–Lacatski connection, AAWSAP and New Insights (8 News Now, January 2026) (discussed in)
- Jay Stratton on Fox News Special Report with Bret Baier (13 October 2026) (discussed in)
- Hal Puthoff Presentation 06/08/2018 (discussed in)
- Eric Davis: “A US President Was Briefed on UFOs!” (discussed in)
- Joe Rogan Experience #2065 - David Grusch (discussed in)
- David Fravor: UFOs, Aliens, Fighter Jets, and Aerospace Engineering | Lex Fridman Podcast #122 (discussed in)
- The Phenomenon: official trailer (appears in)
Mentioned in videos
- Restoring Public Trust Through UAP Transparency and Whistleblower Protection
- “He ran the Pentagon's secret UFO program, and says we've been played”: James Lacatski, part 1 (WEAPONIZED, November 2025)
- “The Government UFO Boss”: James Lacatski, part 2, on New Insights (WEAPONIZED, November 2025)
- Mystery Wire: the Bigelow–Lacatski connection, AAWSAP and New Insights (8 News Now, January 2026)
- Hal Puthoff Presentation 06/08/2018
- Joe Rogan Experience #2065 - David Grusch
- Joe Rogan Experience #2314: Hal Puthoff