Burchett calls for government transparency on UAPs, spending: 'We deserve to know'
Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) called for the government to reveal what it's spending taxpayer money on relating to Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP) amid growing calls from lawmakers for increased transparency on the issue.
"They're spending tens of millions of dollars on this subject. And then they turn around tell us they don't exist," the Tennessee Republican told NewsNation's Blake Burman on "The Hill" Friday.
Burchett stressed the need for greater government transparency on extraterrestrial life while discussing the recent hiring of former intelligence officer and UFO whistleblower David Grusch by Rep. Burlison (R-Mo.).
"I think he can help us ask questions that need to be asked, that should be asked, that maybe we're not asking the right questions because we're not supposed experts on this," Burchett said of Grusch.
"I want to know what they're spending the money on," he later added.
The topic of UAPs has received greater attention from Congress in recent years, with congressional hearings in 2024 and 2023 diving deeper into whether or not government sectors are withholding evidence from lawmakers.
"They need to they need to disclose everything and do it now," Burchett said on Friday. "America needs to know. We need to demand that of our elected officials. Quit joking around about little green men and flying saucers. We're spending tens of millions of dollars on something that, goddamnit, we deserve to know. Give us the information."
Grusch, an Air Force veteran and former member of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, made headlines in 2023 after he claimed the government is withholding information about UFOs and UAP and that it has recovered nonhuman crafts with nonhuman species inside, among other things.
He was appointed to Burlison's office as a senior adviser for an initial period of four months, NewsNation reports.
NewsNation is owned by Nexstar Media Group, which also owns The Hill.
-
GOP's Burchett berates CNN anchor over spending cuts coverage
Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) on Tuesday attacked CNN’s coverage of the Department of Government Efficiency’s (DOGE) spending cuts and accused the network of trying to rally its viewers against ...The Hill - Mar. 11 -
Democrats ‘applying maximum hurt’ for ‘political gain’ in government funding fight: GOP lawmaker
President Trump is urging Republicans to support Speaker Mike Johnson’s short-term government funding bill. Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) joins Meet the Press NOW to discuss the upcoming vote.NBC News - Mar. 11 -
Inside Trump's call with Vladimir Putin
President Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin held a call Tuesday about the war in Ukraine amid continued fighting there. CBS News White House reporter Aaron Navarro has more on what we know ...CBS News - 3d -
Schumer calls for vote on new continuing resolution to avoid government shutdown
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer says Republican senators don't have the votes to pass the GOP spending bill that was approved by the House and is instead pushing for a vote on a separate ...CBS News - Mar. 13 -
Sen. Slotkin wants assurances Trump will spend money 'the way Congress intends' funding bill vote
Sen. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., on Sunday said that she would "withhold" her decision on how to vote to fund the government until Congress gets assurances from the Trump administration that money ...NBC News - Mar. 9 -
Tensions grow over UK government plan to cut welfare payments
Work and pensions secretary Liz Kendall prepares to slash spending on health-related benefitsFinancial Times - 4d -
Call it a defence levy or even a patriot tax – but Labour is going to have to raise taxes, fast | Gaby Hinsliff
The world has shifted and defence spending has to rise. But time is running out for the government to make a case for it. Five years ago this weekend, life as we knew it was suspended overnight. ...The Guardian - 3d -
House votes to avoid government shutdown by passing temporary spending bill
The House of Representatives has passed a short-term funding bill to avert a government shutdown. The stopgap bill funds the government until Sept. 30. The measure increases defense spending by $6 ...CBS News - Mar. 11 -
Troops on the streets of Lima as Peru's government calls state of emergency to tackle crime wave
The residents of Lima were told to expect added security on their journeys into work after Peru's government declared a state of emergency in the capital city to tackle a crimewave and increasing ...ABC News - 3d
More from The Hill
-
Trump axes security clearances for political foes, including Hillary Clinton, Harris, Cheney
President Trump axed security clearances and revoked access to classified information for several political figures on Friday, including his election rivals Hillary Clinton and former Vice ...The Hill - 2h -
Trump administration sued over shuttering of VOA
The Voice of America (VOA) workers, reporters, unions and Reporters Without Borders (RSF) filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration, contending that shuttering the U.S.-funded news agencies ...The Hill - 4h -
24 House Democrats blast SBA over plans to relocate 6 regional offices
A group of 24 House Democrats blasted the Small Business Administration (SBA) and is asking the agency for more answers over plans to relocate six of its regional offices out of “sanctuary cities,” ...The Hill - 6h -
Watch live: Sanders, Ocasio-Cortez take 'Fight Oligarchy' tour to Denver
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) are in Denver on Friday, holding a rally in protest of President Trump's policies that they argue favor the rich. The event ...The Hill - 7h -
Merkley launches DOGE whistleblower portal
Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) launched a whistleblower portal to document President Trump's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) efforts to overhaul the federal government and its initiatives to ...The Hill - 7h
More in Politics
-
Trump axes security clearances for political foes, including Hillary Clinton, Harris, Cheney
President Trump axed security clearances and revoked access to classified information for several political figures on Friday, including his election rivals Hillary Clinton and former Vice ...The Hill - 2h -
Disease-sniffing dogs and trainers part of DOGE cuts
The recent DOGE cuts to the U.S. Department of Agriculture include specialized K-9's who are trained to check food for any diseases. NBC News' Gadi Schwartz talks to co-founder of K9 ...NBC News - 3h -
Democrats facing outrage from constituents at town halls
Democrats are facing outrage from their constituents at town halls who believe their elected officials are not doing enough to counter the Trump administration's agenda. NBC News' Julie Tsirkin has ...NBC News - 3h -
Trump administration sued over shuttering of VOA
The Voice of America (VOA) workers, reporters, unions and Reporters Without Borders (RSF) filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration, contending that shuttering the U.S.-funded news agencies ...The Hill - 4h -
24 House Democrats blast SBA over plans to relocate 6 regional offices
A group of 24 House Democrats blasted the Small Business Administration (SBA) and is asking the agency for more answers over plans to relocate six of its regional offices out of “sanctuary cities,” ...The Hill - 6h