--- aliases: - Harry Mason Reid - Senator Reid born: 1939-12-02 category: UFO & Anomalous Phenomena died: 2021-12-28 location: Searchlight, Nevada, USA relations: - fn: 6 role: Nevada constituent; Bigelow and Bigelow companies contributed 10,800 dollars to Friends for Harry Reid and 10,000 dollars to the Searchlight Leadership Fund, 1998 to 2010 start: 1998 type: represented with: '[[Robert Bigelow]]' summary: Senator Reid's interest in the UAP topic was sparked by his position as the senator for Nevada, the home of the highly classified Area 51 military installation. tags: - Person - UFO - Military - Politician updated: 2026-10-03 --- [Harry Reid](/people/harry-reid/) was a [United States](/places/united-states/) Senator from Nevada who served as the Senate Majority Leader. He was a pivotal figure in the establishment and funding of the [Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program](/programs/advanced-aerospace-threat-identification-program/) (AATIP) and a staunch supporter of the [Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena](/concepts/unidentified-anomalous-phenomena/) (UAP) disclosure movement until his death in 2021.[^1] ### Interest in UAP Senator Reid's interest in the UAP topic was sparked by his position as the senator for Nevada, the home of the highly classified [Area 51](/places/area-51/) military installation. This, combined with his friendship with aerospace magnate and paranormal researcher [Robert Bigelow](/people/robert-bigelow/), led him to take the issue seriously. He was known on Capitol Hill as a "bulldog in a pit of vipers," and his determination was crucial in overcoming the stigma and bureaucratic inertia surrounding the UAP issue.[^1] ### Funding for AATIP Elizondo wrote that Senator Reid, along with Senators [Ted Stevens](/people/ted-stevens/) of Alaska and [Daniel Inouye](/people/daniel-inouye/) of Hawaii, funded the Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program (AAWSAP), the precursor to AATIP. These three men controlled congressional spending for "black budget" [Pentagon](/organizations/pentagon/) programs, and their bipartisan support was essential for the program's creation. Reid continued to be a champion for the program, later securing an additional $10 million in funding for AATIP, though the funds were ultimately diverted to another program.[^1] ### Support for Disclosure Even after leaving the Senate, Reid remained a powerful advocate for UAP disclosure. He publicly confirmed his role in funding AATIP and vouched for the credibility of [Luis Elizondo](/people/luis-elizondo/) after his resignation from the Pentagon. He provided crucial support for the 2017 [New York Times](/organizations/new-york-times/) article that broke the story of AATIP, and he continued to brief members of Congress and the media on the importance of the UAP issue. His steadfast support was a key factor in the passage of the historic UAP legislation in the 2021 and 2022 National Defense Authorization Acts (NDAAs).[^1] ### Letter to the Deputy Secretary of Defense, June 24, 2009 On Senate Majority Leader letterhead dated June 24, 2009, Reid wrote to Deputy Secretary of Defense William Lynn: "Beginning this past September, the U.S. Senate has mandated that the [Defense Intelligence Agency](/organizations/defense-intelligence-agency/) assess far-term foreign advanced aerospace threats to the United States," with a scope "from the present out to forty years and beyond." The letter calls the effort the "Advanced Aerospace Threat and Identification Program (AAITP)," states that "much progress has been made with the identification of several highly sensitive, unconventional aerospace-related findings," and asks for assistance "establishing a Restricted Special-Access-Program (SAP) with a Bigoted Access List for specific portions of the AATIP." It lists as protectable "the methodology used to identify, acquire, study, and engineer the advanced technologies," "protection of industry partnerships and participation," and "application and engineering," describing "associated exotic technologies" in "quantum mechanics, nuclear science, electromagnetic theory, gravitics, and thermodynamics." The contact named for questions is Bob Herbert of Reid's staff.[^2] Attachment 1 to the letter gives the proposed nickname "Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program (AATIP)," program length "FY09 to FY13 (Preliminary)," program funding "FY09 O&M, FY10-FY13 TBD," and SAP category "Intelligence, DoD Acquisition." The "FY 10 Preliminary Bigoted List of Government Personnel" names Lynn, Reid, Daniel Inouye and Robert T. Herbert of the U.S. Senate, followed by redacted entries including Navy, Marine Corps and Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence personnel; a separate "FY 10 Preliminary Bigoted List of Contractor Personnel funded under the AATIP" has three entries, the first reading "Bigelow Aerospace Advanced Space Studies LLC (BAASS)" and the other two "BAASS (CTR)."[^2] ### Appropriation language in DIA papers Talking points in the packet prepared for the Deputy Secretary of Defense's November 17, 2009 meeting with Reid state that "Senators Reid and Inouye co-sponsored a $10M earmark in the July 2008 supplemental" and that "a $12M earmark has been allocated to support the program in FY2010." Neither entry names Stevens.[^3] ### Responses DIA's talking points for a Reid visit to the DIA Director (May 4, 2009) state that Reid "has a deep interest in the potential threat posed by unconventional aerospace technologies" and that "the continued support and guidance of Senator Reid and Senator Inouye is crucial."[^4] DIA records that a review it completed in November 2009 found "insufficient grounds existed to classify the program, invoke an ACCM, or establish a restricted SAP"; that in November 2009 Lynn and the memorandum's author (name redacted) met Reid, and "we determined the reports were of limited value to DIA" while suggesting the project "could be transitioned to another agency or component better suited to oversee the project."[^5] The talking points in the packet prepared for the Deputy Secretary's November 17, 2009 meeting with Reid record that DIA "learned of counter-intelligence concerns with Bigelow Aerospace" in August 2008; see the page for [Bigelow Aerospace Advanced Space Studies](/organizations/bigelow-aerospace-advanced-space-studies/).[^3] ### Contributions from Robert Bigelow and Bigelow companies OpenFEC itemized receipts show contributions of 2,000 dollars (two entries of 1,000 dollars, August 7, 1998), 4,000 dollars (two entries of 2,000 dollars, June 12, 2003) and 4,800 dollars (two entries of 2,400 dollars, June 8, 2010) from Robert Bigelow of [Las Vegas](/places/las-vegas/) to Friends for Harry Reid, the Senate campaign committee. The Searchlight Leadership Fund, registered to Reid as sponsor, received 5,000 dollars from Bigelow on June 13, 2003 and 5,000 dollars from Bigelow Development Aerospace LLC on June 30, 2004. The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee received 28,500 dollars from Bigelow on September 28, 2007 and 28,500 dollars on June 30, 2008.[^6] [Politico](/organizations/politico/)'s Bryan Bender wrote in 2017 that Bigelow "was also a regular contributor to Reid's reelection campaigns, campaign finance records show, at least $10,000 from 1998 to 2008," and in 2021 called him "Reid's longtime UFO svengali (and campaign donor)"; the itemized entries above were not reconciled with that total.[^7] ### Reid in Elizondo's account Elizondo wrote that Lacatski told him in 2009 that the program was funded "through the efforts of a bipartisan group of senators," Reid, Stevens and Inouye, who "controlled congressional spending for black-budget Pentagon programs," and that Reid, "the senator of the state that housed Area 51," was regarded on Capitol Hill "as a bulldog in a pit of vipers." He wrote that Reid "counted Bob among his friends," Bigelow's BAASS being the prime contractor.[^8] The foreword by [Christopher Mellon](/people/christopher-mellon/), dated May 16, 2024, states that Elizondo made him aware of an investigation "using $22 million in DoD funds earmarked for UAP analysis by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid in 2008," that the Air Force and most of the intelligence community "refused to support this congressionally funded UAP investigation," and that the Defense Department "worked to kill this short-lived program at its earliest opportunity."[^9] Elizondo's own chapters do not give the year or the amount; the 2008 date and 22 million dollar figure are Mellon's, and the Defense Intelligence Agency papers described below give a 10 million dollar earmark in the July 2008 supplemental and a 12 million dollar earmark for fiscal 2010. Elizondo wrote that the money "programmed for the years 2008 to 12" ran out, that Reid "thought he could come up with another fresh infusion" for 2013 and 2014, and that Stratton "ran point" and obtained 10 million dollars from Reid which "another DoD program had absconded."[^10] He wrote that in late 2017 the reporter [Helene Cooper](/people/helene-cooper/) told him she had met "the now-retired senator Harry Reid, who had unabashedly corroborated his and his colleagues' involvement in funding the original program that led to AATIP and my leadership role," and that "Harry Reid had my back"; the book's photograph section reproduces what it calls an official letter from Reid "countering the later claims made by the Pentagon" that Elizondo had no part in AATIP.[^11] He wrote that Reid vouched for the group with the producers of the 60 Minutes segment of May 2021 and, in his last weeks, was kept briefed by Elizondo's group while ill with pancreatic cancer; that Reid "said he would keep fighting his cancer until Biden signed the act"; that President [Joe Biden](/people/joe-biden/) signed the second UAP bill two days after Christmas 2021; and that "a day later" Reid died, with his wife Landra and his assistant Katie present.[^12] A Defense Department official of the same surname, Garry Reid, is no relation; see [Garry Reid](/people/garry-reid/).[^13] ### AATIP appropriation, special access request and the December 2017 reporting The *New York Times* article of December 16, 2017 stated that the Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program began in 2007 and was "largely funded at the request of Harry Reid, the Nevada Democrat who was the Senate majority leader at the time," with most of the money going to an aerospace company run by Robert Bigelow, "a billionaire entrepreneur and longtime friend of Mr. Reid's." Reid was quoted: "I'm not embarrassed or ashamed or sorry I got this thing going." The article said that contracts it obtained "show a congressional appropriation of just under $22 million beginning in late 2008 through 2011," and quoted Reid on the 2007 origin: Bigelow told him a Defense Intelligence Agency official wanted to visit his Utah ranch, Reid then met agency officials and summoned Stevens and Inouye to a secure room in the Capitol, and "none of the three senators wanted a public debate on the Senate floor," Reid said: "This was so-called black money. Stevens knows about it, Inouye knows about it. But that was it, and that's how we wanted it." Politico's same-day account by Bryan Bender, which said that "Reid and Bigelow did not respond to multiple requests for comment," gave the start as 2009 and said Reid "first secured the appropriation to begin the program in 2009 with the support of the late Senators Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii) and Republican Ted Stevens (R-Alaska)."[^14][^7] According to Gideon Lewis-Kraus, a senior Defense Intelligence Agency official wrote to Bigelow in 2007 about [Skinwalker Ranch](/places/skinwalker-ranch/), Bigelow connected him to Reid, and Reid enlisted Stevens and Inouye; "in the 2008 Supplemental Appropriations Bill, twenty-two million dollars of so-called black money was set aside." Bigelow Aerospace Advanced Space Studies was "the only bidder" on the public solicitation for the Advanced Aerospace Weapon System Applications Program. A former intelligence official told Lewis-Kraus that "Reid would call them out of a meeting and say, 'I want you to be doing this. This was appropriated.'" In June 2009 Reid asked that the program be given "restricted special access program" status; in November 2009 the Defense Department denied the request.[^15] A July 24, 2009 memorandum from Reid to Deputy Secretary of Defense William Lynn on that request was published in a redacted form by the Las Vegas station KLAS on July 25, 2018 (reporters George Knapp and Matt Adams) and in a version restoring the names of Luis Elizondo and [Hal Puthoff](/people/hal-puthoff/) the following June. Pentagon spokesperson Susan Gough told The Black Vault on June 13, 2019 that the memo was "authentic," that "DOD received it and responded to Sen. Reid," and that it "makes no change to previous statements" that Elizondo had no assigned AATIP responsibilities in the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence.[^16] ### Statements Reid told Lewis-Kraus, "I was told for decades that Lockheed had some of these retrieved materials," that he had tried to obtain a classified approval for himself to see them and "they would not approve that," and that this was why he had requested special access status for AATIP. A July 2020 *Times* article by [Leslie Kean](/people/leslie-kean/) and [Ralph Blumenthal](/people/ralph-blumenthal/) said that he "believed that crashes of vehicles from other worlds had occurred and that retrieved materials had been studied secretly for decades, often by aerospace companies under government contracts," the paper corrected the sentence the next day; Reid told Lewis-Kraus that he admired Kean but had never seen proof of any remnants, and that the Pentagon had not given a reason for refusing his clearance request.[^15] Lewis-Kraus also quotes a former intelligence official on the 2008 appropriation: "people worried that if this all came out, that the government was spending money on this, this will be a bad story."[^15] [^1]: Elizondo, Luis. *Imminent*. William Morrow, 2024. [^2]: Senator Harry Reid to Deputy Secretary of Defense William J. Lynn III, June 24, 2009, with Attachment 1, released by DIA to The Black Vault. https://documents2.theblackvault.com/documents/dia/AAWSAP/20090624_Reid_to_DEPSECDEF_ref_AAITP_in_SAP.pdf [^3]: Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence, final packet for the Deputy Secretary of Defense's November 17, 2009 meeting with Senator Reid. https://documents2.theblackvault.com/documents/dia/AAWSAP/09117-Final_Packet_Presented_to_DepSecDef.pdf [^4]: Defense Intelligence Agency, Talking Paper, "Senator Reid Visit to Director, DIA," May 4, 2009. https://documents2.theblackvault.com/documents/dia/AAWSAP/DR_Reid_Mtg_May09.pdf [^5]: Defense Intelligence Agency, Info Memo U-10-2552CE to the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics, 2010. https://documents2.theblackvault.com/documents/dia/AAWSAP/U-10-2552CE-IM-ATL.pdf [^6]: Federal Election Commission, OpenFEC API, schedule A; Searchlight Leadership Fund is committee C00327395 (sponsor candidate S6NV00028, Harry Reid) and Friends for Harry Reid committee C00204370. https://api.open.fec.gov/v1/schedules/schedule_a/ [^7]: Bender, Bryan. "The Pentagon's Secret Search for UFOs." *Politico,* December 16, 2017. https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2017/12/16/pentagon-ufo-search-harry-reid-216111 (full text read through https://web.archive.org/web/2018id_/https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2017/12/16/pentagon-ufo-search-harry-reid-216111); Bender, "The Hidden History of How Washington Embraced UFOs," *Politico Magazine,* May 28, 2021. https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2021/05/28/ufos-secret-history-government-washington-dc-487900 [^8]: Luis Elizondo, *Imminent: Inside the Pentagon's Hunt for UFOs* (New York: William Morrow, 2024), pp. 11 to 15 (Reid indexed at pp. 11 and 13 to 14; Bigelow at p. 15). Page numbers are those of the printed index where it lists the passage; the digital copy read carries no pagination, so other pages are interpolated from index entries and may be off by one. [^9]: Luis Elizondo, *Imminent: Inside the Pentagon's Hunt for UFOs* (New York: William Morrow, 2024), Foreword by Christopher Mellon, dated May 16, 2024, pp. xiii to xxii (the Reid passage near p. xv). [^10]: Luis Elizondo, *Imminent: Inside the Pentagon's Hunt for UFOs* (New York: William Morrow, 2024), pp. 88 to 89. [^11]: Luis Elizondo, *Imminent: Inside the Pentagon's Hunt for UFOs* (New York: William Morrow, 2024), pp. 209 to 210 and the photograph section (caption beginning "Official letter from former Senate Majority Leader and AATIP sponsor Harry Reid"). [^12]: Luis Elizondo, *Imminent: Inside the Pentagon's Hunt for UFOs* (New York: William Morrow, 2024), pp. 230 and 235 to 236 (Reid indexed at pp. 235 to 236). [^13]: Luis Elizondo, *Imminent: Inside the Pentagon's Hunt for UFOs* (New York: William Morrow, 2024), p. 143 (Garry Reid "no relation to our congressional benefactor, Senator Harry Reid"). [^14]: Cooper, Helene, Ralph Blumenthal and Leslie Kean. "Glowing Auras and 'Black Money': The Pentagon's Mysterious U.F.O. Program." *The New York Times,* December 16, 2017. https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/16/us/politics/pentagon-program-ufo-harry-reid.html (full text read through the Internet Archive capture, https://web.archive.org/web/2023id_/https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/16/us/politics/pentagon-program-ufo-harry-reid.html). [^15]: Lewis-Kraus, Gideon. "How the Pentagon Started Taking U.F.O.s Seriously." *The New Yorker,* May 10, 2021. https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2021/05/10/how-the-pentagon-started-taking-ufos-seriously [^16]: Greenewald, John, Jr. "Pentagon Reinforces Mr. Luis Elizondo Had 'No Responsibilities' on AATIP; Senator Harry Reid's 2009 Memo Changes Nothing." The Black Vault, June 14, 2019. https://www.theblackvault.com/documentarchive/pentagon-reinforces-mr-luis-elizondo-had-no-responsibilities-on-aatip-senator-harry-reids-2009-memo-changes-nothing