Top Republican Says 11 Dead, Missing US Scientists ‘National Security Threat’

The most recent of the 11 known scientists to go missing is retired Air Force Maj. Gen. William Neil McCasland, who vanished on February 27. McCasland was reportedly linked to top-secret government programs that involved information regarding unidentified anomalous phenomena.

“The White House is actively working with all relevant agencies and the FBI to holistically review all of the cases together and identify any potential commonalities that may exist. No stone will be unturned in this effort, and the White House will provide updates when we have them,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said last week.

The 2022 death of Amy Eskridge, a Huntsville, Alabama–based researcher, resurfaced online last week as part of a series of cases involving American scientists connected to U.S. military, nuclear, and aerospace research, prompting questions in some quarters about whether a broader pattern may exist.

While officials have not confirmed any connection between the cases, the timing and the individuals’ links to advanced research fields have drawn increased public attention and speculation.