Defense Money Trail Leads to Failed UFO Bill

For several years, the UAP Disclosure Act has failed to become law despite overwhelming bipartisan support. A new report from Liberation Times, published on January 3rd, 2026, is now pointing directly at Senator Mitch McConnell and his chief of staff Terry Carmack as central figures in blocking the legislation.

According to Liberation Times, sources identify Carmack as the person who pushed to have the UAP Disclosure Act stripped from the fiscal year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act. One source told the outlet that McConnell has always worked against disclosure, calling him the number one villain with Terry being number two.

This is not the first time McConnell has been blamed. Back in 2023, attorney Daniel Sheehan publicly accused five Republicans of blocking the UAPDA, including McConnell along with Senators Roger Wicker and Representatives Mike Turner, Mike Rogers, and Mike Johnson. Sheehan famously stated that 98 percent of Congress supported the bill and it was just these five individuals holding it up.

The financial connections are worth noting. According to data from Open Secrets, Congressman Mike Turner received over $174,000 from miscellaneous defense contributors and over $80,000 from defense aerospace during the 2023–2024 cycle. Congressman Mike Rogers was the largest recipient of defense sector funding during that election cycle, collecting over $400,000 from defense contractors.

Why does this matter? The UAPDA includes an eminent domain provision that would require any private company holding materials of unknown or non-human origin to surrender them to the government. Defense contractors and aerospace companies would have a clear interest in ensuring that never happens.

However, just weeks before the Liberation Times report, Congressman Eric Burlison suggested the opposition was coming not from senators but from Senate Appropriations Committee staff protecting their turf. In an interview with journalist Matt Laslo from Ask a Pol, Burlison stated he was not even aware if it was the members blocking the bill or just their staff.

The answer may be both. Staff in Washington often act on behalf of their bosses, protecting interests and jurisdictional territory. Whether McConnell is actively directing this or his staff is doing it independently, the result remains the same.

Despite setbacks, Burlison remains committed. According to his interview on the Total Disclosure Podcast, whistleblower David Grusch has been extremely helpful in navigating the intelligence community and writing interrogative letters to agencies and private companies. With Grusch on staff, new whistleblowers potentially coming forward, and a refined strategy for 2026, the fight for UAP transparency continues.

Sources

Hanks, M. (2023, November 27). UAP Disclosure Act receives pushback from lawmakers on Capitol Hill, as bipartisan fight for transparency continues. The Debrief. https://thedebrief.org/uap-disclosure-act-receives-pushback-from-lawmakers-on-capitol-hill-as-bipartisan-fight-for-transparency-continues/

Laslo, M. (2025, December 18). Rep. Burlison: A staffer blocked UAPDA, not a US Senator. Ask a Pol uap. https://www.askapoluaps.com/p/staff-keeps-killing-uapda

Sharp, C. (2026, January 3). Sources blame Senator McConnell for UFO transparency law failure — Liberation Times | Reimagining old news. Liberation Times | Reimagining Old News. https://www.liberationtimes.com/home/sources-blame-senator-mcconnell-for-ufo-transparency-law-failure

Total Disclosure Podcast. (2026, January 2). Why the Deep State is blocking UFO disclosure (Ft. Congressman Burlison) [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lhSQNrQa3cE

Vincent, B. (2025, July 29). UAP disclosure advocates call for expanded reforms in fiscal 2026 NDAA. DefenseScoop. https://defensescoop.com/2025/07/29/uap-disclosure-advocates-call-for-expanded-reforms-fiscal-2026-ndaa/