Before the news, do this struggling startup a favor: take a second to tap the ❤️ and hit the restack icon. That’s the best way to make sure independent journalism reaches the people who truly need it. Cheers, fam!
Who?
Rep. Eric Burlison (R-MO) — Member, House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, UAP Caucus
LISTEN: Laslo & Burlison
Ask a Pol asks:
How do you think hiring Jake Barber will change things after having UFO whistleblower David Grusch on your staff in the last Congress?
Key Burlison:
“He’s more an on-the-ground field operator kind of guy, so they brought him in on the higher level,” Rep. Eric Burlison exclusively tells Ask a Pol UAP. “He’s using his connections and contacts and that’s... And some of that is a little bit of an understanding overlap with, with Dave. But a lot of it is, is new and different, so it’s good.”
We listened to you and killed our paywall this year.
And now we’re broke — help!!!
Caught our ear:
With Stephen Miller now President Trump’s Chief of Staff, does that help the UAP issue? Or do you think this will fall off his plate?
“So to the people who thought that I was wrong, this is a perfect example. What did Trump do? He took Stephen Miller off the UAP topic and pulled him in to be the Chief,” Burlison tells us. “Cause it’s now — it’s basically wartime consigliere.”
Chip in your support at Venmo, PayPal, Cash App…
…or just buy us a beer!
“Is Stephen Miller gonna have any bandwidth for the UAP topic? And that’s a question that I would say to the people that care about this topic, this is an unfortunate outcome from this.”
But do you know who’s gonna take his place as a point person?
“If anybody takes his place. I don’t even know if there will be somebody to take his place,” Burlison says. “Because, again, like if you’ve got, if you have got the Democratic Party who’s saying ‘lawyer up’, how would it make any sense to spend those resources on chasing down or getting to the bottom of the UAP topic?”
Below find a rough transcript of Ask a Pol’s exclusive interview with Rep. Eric Burlison (R-MO), slightly edited for clarity.
TRANSCRIPT: Rep. Eric Burlison (11-10-2026)
SCENE: After voting on the House floor, Rep. Eric Burlison is walking back to his office across the street when Ask a Pol UAP’s Matt Laslo catches up with the Congressman for the first time since September (the last time the House was in session until after the Nov. 3 elections).
Eric Burlison: “At the end of the day, I’ll tell you I’m continuing the investigation. It’s now public; we’ve hired Jake Barber.”
Matt Laslo: “Yeah?”
EB: “So we’re... we’re kinda he’s got some unique... let’s just say he’s got a unique set of skills.”
ML: “Yeah? How do you think that’ll change it after having [whistleblower David] Grusch in the last Congress?”
EB: “He’s more an on-the-ground field operator kind of guy. So they brought him in on the higher level. He’s using his connections and contacts and that’s... And some of that is a little bit of an understanding overlap with, with Dave. But a lot of it is, is new and different, so it’s good.”
ML: “Do you have allies on the Democratic side?”
EB: “I hope so. Yeah. I hope it wasn’t just lip service.”
ML: “But you haven’t really talked to anyone yet?”
EB: “Um, you know, I, I think that the guys that I’ve worked with up until now have been, have been great to work with and been very helpful. And that includes um Moskowitz and um and it also includes um Subramanyam, Whitesides, Carson.”
ML: “Yeah?”
EB: “They’ve been, they’ve been friendly and nice and because this is this is a bipartisan issue. So hopefully they don’t spend 100% of their time going after President Trump.”
ML: “Yeah?”
EB: “Hopefully they’ll at least carve out some of their time and dedication towards this and give it the same amount of dedication that I did.”
ML: “And are you guys going this way? And are you helped now by having Stephen Miller as [White House] Chief of Staff? Or did this maybe fall off his plate?”
They start to walk through a small crowd of lively protestors.
EB: “I’m sorry, these people are distracting.”
ML: “Yeah? With Stephen Miller now Chief of Staff, does that help the issue or do you think this will fall off his plate?”
EB: “So to the people who thought that I was wrong, this is a perfect example. What did Trump do? He took Stephen Miller off the UAP topic and pulled him in to be the chief. Cause it’s now — it’s basically wartime consigliere. And so this is a perfect example.”
ML: “Yeah?”
EB: “Is Trump gonna... is Stephen Miller gonna have any bandwidth for the UAP topic? And that’s a question that I would say to the people that care about this topic, this is an unfortunate outcome from this.”
ML: “But do you know who’s gonna take his place as a point person?”
EB: “If anybody takes his place. I don’t even know if there will be somebody to take his place.”
ML: “Oh, interesting.”
EB: “Right? Because again, like if you’ve got, if you have got the Democratic Party who’s saying ‘lawyer up’, how are you gonna how would it make any sense to spend those resources on chasing down or getting to the bottom of the UAP topic.”
ML: “Interesting. And that FBI group, are they... are you guys still in communication with them?”
Burlison nods affirmatively.
ML: “I’m just curious how much the mandate of like AARO has changed... with these new directors.”
EB: “I haven’t had a conversation with them since the election.”
ML: “Yeah. But I mean since President Trump’s executive order? And since we started getting these files released from the Pentagon.”
EB: “Yeah, hopefully it hasn’t changed, but I’ll have to talk to them to see. Thank you, Matt.”
ML: “You got a lot going on.”
Burlison starts entering a House Office Building.
ML: “Congrats on your re-election, sir.”
Ask a Pol’s AI Disclosure:
Ask a Pol is playing around with as many new AI tools as we can, so this small, unfunded startup can compete in today’s new media landscape. (generative) AI isn’t tomorrow’s tech — it’s yesterday’s…
