“Really?” Sen. Rounds surprised Secrets Task Force only just learned of FBI UFO unit

Sens. Mike Rounds and Chris Coons chat with reporters in the basement of the US Capitol. Photo: Matt Laslo

Who?

Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD) — Armed Services & Intelligence Committees*

*one of only a handful — eight in this new 119th Congress, by our late night count — of US senators on both powerful committees

LISTEN: Laslo & Rounds

Thanks for voting in our latest AskaPOLL!

Ask a Pol asks:

Do you know there’s a UFO/ UAP division at the FBI?

Key Rounds:

“Yes,” Sen. Mike Rounds exclusively tells Ask a Pol.

ICYMI — House UAP Caucus leaders just learned it exists

FBI wants AARO's funding: "Different people on [the FBI's UAP] team have actually seen objects,” Rep. Burlison reports

FBI v. AARO

Secrets Task Force members report the FBI has images AARO never had?

“That doesn’t surprise me any,” Rounds says.

Caught our ear:

Secrets Chair Anna Paulina Luna and other House members are questioning whether the FBI should replace AARO — what do you make of that?

“This is the first I’ve heard about that particular deal,” Rounds tells Ask a Pol.*

*seems half of what Ask a Pol does these days is break UAP news individually to policymakers on both sides of the Capitol…

Below find a rough transcript of Ask a Pol’s exclusive interview with Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD), slightly edited for clarity.

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TRANSCRIPT: Sen. Mike Rounds (6-5-2025)

SCENE: Sen. Mike Rounds just finished talking to a few reporters just outside a bank of elevators when Ask a Pol’s Matt Laslo slides in and asks to join him on his ride up to the second floor of the Capitol so he can vote on the Senate floor.

Matt Laslo: “Mind if I?”

The senator waves Ask a Pol onto the Senators Only elevator.

Mike Rounds: “Yeah, come on in.”

ML: “Do you know there’s a UFO/ UAP division at the FBI?”

MR: “Yes.”

ML: “Yeah?

Rounds nods but says nothing…

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ML: “Your House colleagues just learned that. And now…”

MR: “Really?”

Rounds laughs.

ML: “…now they want to take AARO’s funding…”

Rounds laughs harder.

ML: “…now they want AARO’s funding to go to the FBI, because the FBI was more open with them.”

MR: “Ahhh.”

Rounds laughs.

ML: “So they say. What do you make of that?”

MR: “Not much. I just – this is the first I’ve heard that they were looking at doing anything with it.”

ML: “Yeah?”

MR: “So…”

ML: “Well they said that they actually had different images, that they showed them that AARO never had.”

MR: “That doesn’t…”

ML: “It seems like they need to [coordinate].”

MR: “That doesn’t surprise me any.”

ML: “But why not? How do you guys get that coordination and…?”

MR: “That’s one of the reasons why when we hear this kind of stuff, we go back and we start following up on it, so…”

ML: “Yeah?”

MR: “Yeah. This is the first I’ve heard about that particular deal.”

ML: “Sounds like you got to call it DOGE…”

Rounds laughs.

ML: “…get the band back together.”

Rounds turns to enter the Senate chamber.

ML: “Have a good one, sir.”