Burchett won't chair UFO hearing; Comer cites misunderstanding

Burchett won’t chair UFO hearing; Comer cites misunderstanding

A House Oversight subcommittee will hold a hearing Wednesday on UFOs
Rep. Tim Burchett says he was told he won't chair the meeting
Oversight Chairman James Comer said Burchett misunderstood his role

Updated: Jul 25, 2023 / 11:38 PM CDT

WASHINGTON, DC – JULY 20: Rep. Tim Burchett (2nd R) (R-TN) speaks during a press conference held by members of the House Oversight and Accountability Committee at the U.S. Capitol on July 20, 2023 in Washington, DC. Members of the committee held the news conference to discuss an upcoming committee hearing on unidentified aerial phenomena (UAPs). Also pictured (L-R) are Rep. Eric Burlison (R-MO), Rep Jared Moskowitz (D-FL) and Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL). (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)

(NewsNation) — Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., said Tuesday night that he won’t chair a House Oversight subcommittee hearing focused on UFOs and what the government knows about them set to take place Wednesday.

“I was just informed along with @realannapaulina that I will NOT be chairing the #UAP hearing,” Burchett said on Twitter.

Burchett had spearheaded the effort for a congressional hearing on the matter and has been speaking to NewsNation extensively over the past few weeks. He says the government needs to provide more transparency on whether it has recovered any extraterrestrial craft.

“Yeah, I’m upset. I mean, you know, I’ve spent a lot of time helping put this thing together. It’s just politics,” he told NewsNation partner The Hill.

Subcommittee chair Rep. Glenn Grothman, R-Wis., will chair the hearing. Burchett had expected to lead it after spearheading the hearing with Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla.

House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., told The Hill that Burchett misunderstood his role, saying, “he’s not a committee chairman.”

“Tim misunderstood. He is going to give an opening statement. He’s going to get to ask 20 questions,” Comer said.

“You don’t — I mean, he’s not a committee chairman,” he added. “You don’t have a subcommittee. We’re gonna have a good UFO hearing tomorrow.”

Comer said Burchett is still the “main player” in the hearing and regretted the miscommunication.

“I appreciate all the support. Let’s all work to get the truth and real transparency on the #UAP issue,” Burchett said in a follow-up tweet.

The committee will hear from whistleblower David Grusch, a former intelligence officer who claims the Pentagon is withholding information about a decadeslong retrieval program. Also testifying are former Navy pilot Lt. Ryan Graves and David Fravor, a former commanding officer of the Black Aces Squadron with the U.S. Navy.

Grusch first detailed his claims in an exclusive interview with NewsNation and investigative journalist Ross Coulthart. He said a committee put together to investigate unidentified aerial phenomena, or UAP, has been blocked from receiving information about a secret asset retrieval program.

In June, Dr. Sean M. Kirkpatrick, director of the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office, told Congress there is “no credible evidence” of extraterrestrial activity, off-world technology or objects that defy the laws of physics.

The Hill contributed to this report.