FOIA Emails Reveal Pentagon's Tight Control Over AARO 'Historical Record Report' Rollout and Messaging

A new release of Department of Defense (DoD) emails obtained through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) sheds light on internal debates about the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO), its scope, and how its work is presented to the public. The documents, released under case number 24-F-0894, were obtained by The Black Vault following a request for correspondence involving Pentagon spokesperson Susan Gough containing the terms “AARO” or “Phillips” between February 1 and March 7, 2024.

The request yielded 14 pages of emails, many redacted, that offer a rare glimpse into how the Pentagon handled the rollout of AARO’s congressionally mandated Historical Record Report and managed both internal and external messaging.