The White House has confirmed that it is reviewing reports concerning the mysterious disappearances and deaths of at least ten American scientists. Many of these individuals had access to classified information related to nuclear or space research. Press Secretary Carolyn Leavitt stated at a Wednesday briefing that she had not yet spoken with relevant agencies but indicated that the administration believes a formal investigation may be necessary.

The list of missing persons includes senior researchers and contractors from some of the country’s most sensitive scientific institutions. Among them are Monica Jacinto Reza, a senior aerospace engineer at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory who disappeared in June 2025 while hiking in California, and Steven Garcia, a government contractor from the Kansas City National Security Campus who went missing in August 2025. Former Los Alamos National Laboratory employee Anthony Chavez and retired Air Force Major General William ‘Neil’ McCasland also vanished between 2025 and early 2026.

Reports also mention the unexplained deaths of several prominent scientists, including NASA’s Frank Maiwald in 2024 and Michael David Hicks in 2023, both from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, with causes of death not publicly disclosed.