Harvard Astronomer Avi Loeb to Lead New White House UFO Science Advisory Council

WASHINGTON: The White House has appointed Harvard astrophysicist Avi Loeb to lead a newly established scientific advisory council tasked with investigating unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAPs), commonly known as UFOs, as part of President Donald Trump’s initiative to expand transparency and strengthen national security assessments.

Loeb, a renowned cosmologist and former chair of Harvard University’s astronomy department, will oversee a team of scientists and external experts that will advise a broader White House panel examining reports of mysterious aerial objects observed by U.S. military personnel in recent years. The council will focus on collecting and analyzing scientific data to determine whether the phenomena pose national security risks.

The appointment places Loeb, who has attracted international attention for his controversial theories on possible extraterrestrial technology, at the center of the U.S. government’s renewed efforts to study UAPs. While Loeb has argued that some unexplained objects merit serious scientific investigation, many researchers have criticized his conclusions as speculative and lacking sufficient evidence.

Responding to the criticism, Loeb said the council would adopt a rigorous, evidence-based approach, beginning with the assumption that reported objects are of human origin unless credible data suggest otherwise. He added that improved data collection could ultimately help resolve long-standing questions surrounding UAPs while enhancing national security.

The advisory group includes scientists, retired military officials and civilian experts, among them former Rear Admiral Timothy Gallaudet and entrepreneur Ben Lamm. The council is expected to work alongside the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and the Pentagon’s All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO), providing scientific recommendations as the administration continues releasing previously classified UAP records to the public.