More than five years after The Black Vault filed a Mandatory Declassification Review (MDR) request seeking a fresh review of the CIA’s historic KUBARK Counterintelligence Interrogation manual, the Agency has released its most complete official version of the document to date. The release stems from MDR case EOM-2021-00117, originally filed in May 2021 by The Black Vault. An initial response issued on February 9, 2024, resulted in only limited additional disclosures while continuing to withhold portions of the manual under Executive Order 13526, Sections 3.3(h)(2) and 6.2(d). Following an appeal submitted by The Black Vault on March 1, 2024, the…
Author: John Greenewald
This archive contains records released by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) in response to a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request seeking a digital copy of the agency’s database of official tribal insignias, along with copies of each official tribal insignia contained in the database as of the date of the request. In its July 16, 2026, response, the USPTO stated that it identified a responsive spreadsheet and released it in full, which is available below. The USPTO’s Native American Tribal Insignia Database is a component of the agency’s trademark search system. It exists to assist trademark…
The Department of Defense’s All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) has released its Fiscal Year 2025 Consolidated Annual Report on Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena, documenting 319 newly received UAP reports while emphasizing that every resolved case was ultimately attributed to conventional causes. The report arrives well after the timeline established by Congress. Under 50 U.S.C. § 3373(k)(1)(A), the AARO Director is required to submit an annual UAP report to the appropriate congressional committees “not later than 180 days after December 23, 2022, and annually thereafter for four years.” The FY2025 report covers incidents from June 2, 2024, through May 30, 2025. Although…
Background Welcome to the FBI Files on Historical Figures & Groups archive at The Black Vault. This comprehensive collection provides a unique lens into the lives and activities of various prominent individuals and groups that have played significant roles in shaping history. These files offer a rare glimpse into the FBI’s surveillance, investigation, and documentation of notable personalities and organizations, revealing the intricate ways they interacted with or were perceived by the U.S. government. From influential political leaders and activists to groundbreaking cultural figures, these documents span a wide spectrum of history and provide an invaluable resource for understanding the…
A newly released Freedom of Information Act response from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration offers a limited but useful look at UAP-related keyword hits found in the email records of Dr. Timothy Gallaudet, the former Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere, Acting Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere, Acting NOAA Administrator, and Deputy NOAA Administrator. The request, filed July 10, 2023, sought all emails sent to, from, or copied to Gallaudet between October 25, 2017, and January 20, 2021, that contained a series of UFO- and UAP-related terms. Those terms included “UNIDENTIFIED AERIAL,” “UNIDENTIFIED ANOMALOUS,”…