In Imminent, Luis Elizondo describes his pivotal role in raising public awareness about unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP). His work, both within and outside the US Department of Defense (DoD), has contributed significantly to the conversation about UAP and their potential implications for national security, scientific inquiry, and public discourse. Elizondo is best known for his involvement in the Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program (AATIP), a secretive program within the DoD that investigated UAP sightings and reports. In 2017, Elizondo resigned from the Pentagon, citing frustration with what he described as a lack of support from senior officials for investigating UAP. In December 2017, The New York Times published an article revealing the existence of the AATIP, based in part on information provided by Elizondo.

Elizondo has faced significant criticism for his high-profile role in the UAP disclosure movement. One of the primary areas of controversy revolves around his claims about his role in the AATIP. While Elizondo has asserted that he was the program’s director, some former Pentagon officials have disputed this. Reporter Keith Kloor, writing for The Intercept in 2019, obtained the following statement from Pentagon spokesperson Christopher Sherwood: “Mr.