An ex-Pentagon official, Luis Elizondo, has released an image of what he claims to be a UFO “mothership.” Elizondo, known for exposing a $22-million government UFO program, showed the photo during a private event in Philadelphia. He described the craft as “looking like the mothership from Close Encounters of the Third Kind.”
The image, reportedly captured in Romania in 2022, was initially presented by Elizondo as evidence from the US Embassy. He described it as a “huge mini city floating in the sky,” but skeptics quickly pointed out issues with the claim. The photo appears to be from a social media group, with many noting it resembles the reflection of a chandelier in window glass.
John Greenewald Jr., a government transparency advocate, traced the image to a Facebook post from 2023. After the backlash, Elizondo attributed the error to a “friend in Government” who provided the photo.
Criticism from UFO community and past collaborators
The event has sparked frustration within the UFO community, with some accusing Elizondo of sensationalism. Retired Air Force Staff Sergeant Jeremy McGowan, who once collaborated with Elizondo, voiced skepticism. McGowan claims Elizondo has shared unverified or potentially fabricated information in the past, including showing a purportedly “classified” Soviet video on an unsecured phone.
Federal reports over the years have documented “mothership” UFO sightings over US military sites. Notably, in 2019, sightings of “mystery drones” in Colorado and surrounding states raised military concerns due to their proximity to nuclear sites.
