The Department of War's second PURSUE tranche (posted May 22) defined the declassification beat this week. Counts varied: ~50–64 items (one tally: 51 videos, 6 PDFs, 7 audio), broader ~222-document figure. Contents: 40+ lawmaker-requested videos (aligning with Rep. Luna's March 31 request for 46 unresolved-incident videos), NASA mission audio, a 2019 Middle East infrared multi-object clip, shootdown footage, a clip of the US tracking a foreign submarine as a UAP enters frame, first-hand civilian/military testimony, and 200+ historical 1948–1950 New Mexico sightings. The Pentagon reiterated none confirms non-human technology; spokesman Sean Parnell (May 18) said more documents are "actively being processed." No Release 03 posted in the window.
Sources: war.gov News Release Article 4480582, nbcnews.com, newsnationnow.com, interestingengineering.com, washingtontimes.com, news-nest.com.
Per CIA whistleblower James Erdman III's sworn HSGAC testimony (May 13), the CIA "took back 40 boxes of JFK and MK-Ultra files" that DNI Tulsi Gabbard's office had been processing for declassification under a standing presidential EO — reportedly removed from the NRO during the 2025 shutdown, and not yet returned. Two IC officials reportedly confirmed the CIA took the files (Daily Caller). ODNI continues to deny the "raid" framing. Erdman also alleged third parties "were listening into secure phone calls at IC facilities" during the AHI / "Havana Syndrome" investigation. No new MK-Ultra-specific document releases indexed May 19–25.
Sources: hsgac.senate.gov, dailycaller.com, washingtonexaminer.com, thenewamerican.com, defenseforum.substack.com.
Sen. Rand Paul (HSGAC chair) published Erdman's full written testimony as a committee-letter attachment (May 14), filed a preservation-of-witness letter demanding no retaliation, and issued a May 16 DOJ referral urging investigation into a top Fauci adviser's alleged destruction of COVID-origin documents. Paul's promised "more COVID cover-up news next week" (the now-passed week of May 18–22) ended with no publicly-confirmed new disclosure — lapsed and unfulfilled as of May 25. CIA spokeswoman Liz Lyons' "dishonest political theater" line remains the agency's by-spokesperson response.
Sources: hsgac.senate.gov, foxnews.com, justthenews.com, usrtk.org, childrenshealthdefense.org.
Rep. Luna's House Oversight declassification task force continues its UAP transparency investigation; the intended additional releases within 30 days were partially realized via PURSUE Release 02 (40+ lawmaker-requested videos). Luna's expired 24-hour 40-boxes ultimatum (May 14) remains unenforced — no subpoena issued. HR 8197 (Burchett, terminate AARO) remains in committee, in cross-direction tension with Luna's pro-disclosure posture. No SSCI/HPSCI open hearing on the May 25–31 calendar is specifically tied to the 40-boxes dispute or PURSUE.
Sources: oversight.house.gov, congress.gov, intelligence.senate.gov.
The Navy's denial of The Black Vault's appeal for 78 classified UAP photographs (Nov 2024 determination found 78 responsive; withheld in full; Nov 2025 appeal denied Feb 24, 2026) continues as a clean overclassification fact-of-record contrast to PURSUE's transparency posture. The FY26 NDAA COVID-origins declassification provision (DNI to review and publicly release COVID-origins intelligence) intersects the Erdman allegations and the Paul → DOJ referral. No new consequential FOIA batch tied to tracked covert programs indexed May 19–25.
Sources: theblackvault.com, usrtk.org, bloomberg.com (ODNI FOIA scrubbing carry).
(1) Whether the CIA returns any of the 40 boxes or issues a Director-level (vs. spokesperson) response. (2) Whether Paul's lapsed "more COVID cover-up news" promise produces a delayed disclosure. (3) Whether a PURSUE Release 03 posts. (4) Whether SSCI/HPSCI add a 40-boxes or PURSUE item to the calendar. (5) Whether the DOJ acts on Paul's document-destruction referral. (6) Whether a new FOIA batch (Black Vault / MuckRock / NDC) tied to tracked programs posts.