Congressional Staff Changes
UAP whistleblower Jake Barber has joined the staff of Rep. Eric Burlison (R-Mo.), where he is expected to work on questions involving unidentified anomalous phenomena and government transparency. Burlison spokesman Nate Lucas confirmed the appointment to PARADIGM. Barber succeeds David Grusch, the former intelligence official and prominent UAP whistleblower who left Burlison’s office at the end of the summer.
Barber, a U.S. Air Force veteran, became publicly known in early 2025 after claiming that he participated in the recovery of what he described as non-human craft while working as a helicopter pilot for a private contractor. His allegations have drawn attention within the broader disclosure movement, but important distinctions remain. Unlike Grusch, Barber has not testified under oath, and the SkyWatcher project he later founded has not produced independently reviewed evidence supporting his claims. His new position nonetheless places him inside a congressional office involved in shaping questions directed to the Pentagon.
UAP Politics in Washington
The congressional debate over UAP investigations is also expected to continue after the midterm elections. According to the roundup, Democrats won control of the House, while several lawmakers known for pursuing the subject—including Burlison, Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) and Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-Fla.)—were re-elected.
Rep. Andre Carson (D-Ind.), who chaired the historic 2022 House UAP hearing, is reportedly leading a proposal to establish a select committee focused on the issue. The committee has not yet been formally created, and the new Congress will not take office until January. Supporters argue that a dedicated panel could improve oversight and consolidate investigations that are currently divided among existing committees. Critics and skeptics, however, have emphasized the need for verifiable evidence and conventional explanations before drawing extraordinary conclusions.
Australia Reports Sharp Increase Near Military Bases
Australian Defence officials told a Senate committee that reports of unidentified drones over Australian Defence Force facilities rose from 19 three years ago to 204 during the most recent year. Approximately 420 reports were recorded over a four-year period, with a further 42 logged since July.
Officials were unable to determine how many incidents involved recreational or unauthorized hobbyist drones and how many might have represented foreign surveillance. At RAAF Base Williamtown, north of Newcastle, unidentified aircraft reportedly entered restricted airspace twice—in July and August. The uncertainty surrounding the operators has contributed to a new law allowing the military to shoot down drones in certain circumstances. The figures demonstrate a growing security challenge, although they do not by themselves establish that the objects were technologically unusual or extraterrestrial.
Reports From Wyoming and Mexico
In Wyoming, resident Summer Chase recorded three lights appearing to rotate in a triangular formation over Gillette. The footage attracted hundreds of thousands of views, and Chase and her husband, Cody, said they had observed similar lights years earlier while he worked night shifts at a Montana mine.
Richard Beckwith, the Wyoming state director for the Mutual UFO Network, reviewed the video and said the objects were “very interesting,” while acknowledging that he had no explanation at present. He also cautioned that a sighting lacking an immediate explanation may eventually be resolved, estimating that only a small percentage of reports remain unexplained.
Meanwhile, videos circulating from northern Mexico reportedly show metallic spheres near locations including Los Mochis, Tijuana and volcanic areas. The imagery has prompted online discussion, but the available material does not establish the objects’ origin, composition or behavior. Taken together, the latest reports highlight the continuing tension at the center of UAP coverage: increased reporting and official attention are real, while definitive evidence of non-human technology remains absent.
