Person

Harry Reid

Former Senate majority leader (died in 2021); sponsor of AAWSAP

2007–2021 · AAWSAP, BAASS, and Skinwalker · Politician

A senator and Senate majority leader, in 2007 he obtained the DIA funding, about $22 million, that financed the AAWSAP program awarded to the company of his friend Robert Bigelow. On June 24, 2009 he asked the Deputy Secretary of Defense for restricted special access program status for AATIP, but the DIA found no regulatory basis to grant it. In 2021, the year of his death, he wrote a letter supporting Elizondo's leadership role in AATIP.

Key claims

• According to George Knapp, he was convinced that the United States, Russia and China had recovered advanced technology.
• In the 2021 letter, presenting himself as one of the original sponsors of AATIP, he affirmed Elizondo's involvement and leadership role.

Controversies

• Kirkpatrick described him as a true believer and said that he brought in Senator Lieberman to ask DHS for a classified program (Kona Blue).

Today

Died in 2021.

Documented authority

It measures how documented and verifiable what the person claims is, not their honesty. Each criterion is scored from 0 to 2.

Credentials 2/2

The offices are documented by primary sources.

Direct access 1/2

As a sponsor of the program he knew the funding firsthand, but his beliefs about retrievals are reported by Knapp.

Evidence provided 1/2

The 2009 letter is authentic and public, but no documents supporting his beliefs about retrievals are known.

Claims track record not applicable

The sources consulted do not trace the outcome of any verifiable claims made by this person.

Conflicts of interest 1/2

The contract funded at his initiative went to the company of a longtime friend, Robert Bigelow.

Sources

1. Letter from Harry Reid to the Deputy Secretary of Defense, June 24, 2009 (DIA, FOIA, PDF) (primary source)
2. DIA briefing memo for the meeting with Reid, November 2009 (PDF) (primary source)
3. Written testimony of George Knapp to the House, September 9, 2025 (PDF) (primary source)
4. New York Times, December 16, 2017: the Pentagon's secret program (AATIP) (press)
5. GQ, November 9, 2021: interview with Elizondo with Harry Reid's letter (press)
6. CNN (Peter Bergen and Erik German), January 26, 2024: interview with Kirkpatrick (press)

On this site

Official positions 2

• DIA (Defense Intelligence Agency) (2009): In a memo prepared for the November 19, 2009 meeting with Senator Reid, the DIA wrote…
• Pentagon (Department of Defense) (2019): The Pentagon reiterated that Elizondo had no assigned responsibilities for AATIP at…

Documents 4

• Senator Reid's letter asking to protect AATIP with a special access program Original available
• The DIA prepares for the meeting with Reid: no basis for a special access program Original available
• UAP Disclosure Act 2023: the press release in which Schumer and Rounds introduce the amendment Original available
• AARO's Historical Record Report, vol. 1 (March 2024) Original available

Timeline 6

• 1996: Robert Bigelow buys Skinwalker Ranch in Utah
• Sep 22, 2008: The DIA awards the AAWSAP program to Robert Bigelow's company
• Jun 24, 2009: Senator Reid requests special access program status for AATIP
• Nov 13, 2009: The DIA: there is no basis for a restricted special access program
• Dec 16, 2017: The New York Times and Politico reveal AATIP, the Pentagon's UFO program
• Jul 14, 2023: Schumer and Rounds introduce the UAP Disclosure Act

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UAPgrade's entries are compiled with artificial intelligence (three verifiers with opposing roles) and checked against the sources listed above: how we work. Have a document that changes this entry? Bring it to the Investigations Unit.