David Charles Grusch served 14 years as a U.S. intelligence officer, reaching the rank of Major in the Air Force and GS-15 at the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency.
In 2023 he testified under oath that he learned of secret U.S. programs recovering non-human craft and biologics from multiple witnesses during his official duties on UAP analysis.
- U.S. Air Force intelligence officer, Major, 2009–2023; Afghanistan combat veteran.
- Senior Intelligence Officer at National Reconnaissance Office, 2016–2021; led director's daily briefing production.
- NRO representative to Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Task Force, 2019–2021.
- NGA GS-15 co-lead for UAP and trans-medium analysis, 2021–April 2023.
- July 26, 2023: Sworn House Oversight testimony on crash retrieval and reverse-engineering programs.
- United StatesCitizen and government service
- U.S. Air ForceIntelligence Officer, Major, 14 years
- National Reconnaissance OfficeSenior Intelligence Officer 2016–2021
- National Geospatial-Intelligence AgencyGS-15 Senior Officer 2021–2023
- Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Task ForceNRO Representative 2019–2021
Background
David Charles Grusch was born in 1987 in the Pittsburgh area of Pennsylvania. He attended the University of Pittsburgh on an Air Force ROTC scholarship starting around 2004–2005. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Physics in 2009 and later a Master of Arts in Intelligence Studies from American Military University in 2012.
Grusch commissioned into the U.S. Air Force as an intelligence officer in 2009. He served for 14 years, attaining the rank of Major. His duties included combat support in Afghanistan and roles focused on space domain awareness and technical intelligence.
From 2016 to 2021 Grusch worked as a Senior Intelligence Officer at the National Reconnaissance Office. In that role he led production of the NRO director's daily briefing and supported contingency operations including coordination of the Presidential Daily Brief.
Between 2019 and 2021 Grusch served as the NRO representative to the Department of Defense Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Task Force. In 2019 the task force director assigned him to identify relevant special access and controlled access programs for the group's mission.
From November 2021 to April 2023 Grusch held a GS-15 civilian position at the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. He served as the agency's co-lead for UAP and trans-medium object analysis and reported to both the UAP Task Force and the All-Domain Anomaly Resolution Office.
During his UAP-related duties Grusch interviewed more than 40 current and former military and intelligence personnel over approximately four years. He collected classified oral testimony, documents, and photographs describing alleged crash retrieval and reverse-engineering programs.
In May 2022 Grusch filed a PPD-19 urgent concern complaint with the Intelligence Community Inspector General. The ICIG determined the complaint credible and urgent and referred it to congressional intelligence committees; Grusch provided roughly 11–12 hours of classified testimony to House and Senate staff later that year.
Grusch left government service on April 7, 2023. On June 5, 2023, journalists published his claims in The Debrief. On July 26, 2023, he testified publicly under oath before the House Oversight Subcommittee on National Security, the Border, and Foreign Affairs alongside Navy pilots David Fravor and Ryan Graves.
In testimony Grusch stated he had been informed of a multi-decade UAP crash retrieval and reverse-engineering program to which he was denied access. He said witnesses described recovery of non-human craft and non-human biologics; he emphasized speaking to facts as told to him by others with direct knowledge.
Where They Are Now
As of October 25, 2026, David Grusch remains active in public discussion of UAP issues. He has given extended interviews, including a September 2026 appearance on the Joe Rogan Experience describing additional details from his investigations.
In March 2025 Representative Eric Burlison appointed him special advisor to a congressional task force on declassification. Grusch has also pursued legal action, including a 2026 FOIA lawsuit against the Department of Defense.
Last updated 25 October 2026