A set of disturbing images claiming to depict a dead alien has taken the internet by storm, leaving podcast host Joe Rogan stunned during a recent episode of *The Joe Rogan Experience*. The three graphic photos, which surfaced last week on X, have been linked to former Pentagon official Luis Elizondo, a controversial figure known for his work in UFO investigations. Due to their unsettling nature, the *Daily Mail* has opted not to publish the images in full.
“Did you see, Lou Elizondo, these photos that are supposedly of a real alien?” Rogan asked his guests, comedians Luis J. Gomez and Big Jay Oakerson. “It’s so dumb. The photos look blurry… of the photos of the dead alien. This is crazy.” Rogan’s frustration was evident as he pointed out the poor quality of the images, saying, “Like you can’t even zoom in on that. You can’t even focus. Look at these. What is that? What’s that? What is that dude? How about better pictures? Is this from the forties? What’s this photo from?”
Alongside the photos, Rogan referenced a 1993 document alleging the images showed an “alien hybrid child born to a 15-year-old girl, subject of an ET genetic experiment.” The discussion took a speculative turn when Rogan and his guests considered whether the figure could be a human baby with Harlequin ichthyosis, a rare skin disorder causing thick, scaly skin. “It could be anything, man. I mean, it might even be human,” Rogan mused.
The images have sparked intense debate online, with many users arguing they likely depict a deceased human baby rather than an extraterrestrial being. Critics have slammed Elizondo for allegedly promoting the photos without sufficient context, accusing him of fueling misinformation. UAP researcher Rob Heatherly, who sent the images to the Elizondo for clarification, told *Daily Mail.com* that Elizondo responded by saying he had “absolutely no idea” about their origin. Heatherly added that the photos were part of an auction, noting, “I didn’t buy the albums. I found the auctions and saved the images.”
Elizondo, who has yet to publicly comment on the photos, has faced similar controversies in the past. During a May 1 congressional hearing, he presented an image he claimed showed a cruise ship-sized UFO hovering 21,000 feet above the western U.S. The photo was debunked within 24 hours, with social media users identifying it as an image of two irrigation circles in rural Colorado. Science writer Mick West, a noted skeptic, pointed out on X, “This UFO photo shows two irrigation circles. The roads are perfectly aligned, and the ‘shadow’ is in the wrong direction.”
Elizondo’s track record includes another high-profile misstep in 2022, when he shared a high-resolution image of a supposed “mothership” piercing clouds over Romania. The object was later revealed to be a window reflection of an indoor chandelier lamp. Critics on Reddit have been harsh, with one user writing, “Trying to clown all of us. If any of the people coming forward are serious, they’ll distance themselves from him.” Another added, “Really brings into question what they are doing with disclosure. Starting to think that Elizondo and co. are just disinformation agents.”
Despite the backlash, Elizondo defended his actions during the congressional hearing, posting on X that the irrigation circle photo was an unvetted image used to highlight the need for a centralized UFO reporting system for civilian pilots. “The purpose of me showing the photo was to illustrate the need for civilian and commercial pilots to have a central reporting mechanism to report potential anomalous sightings,” he wrote. He expressed frustration that critics missed the point, adding, “The ones who are screaming about it… are not helping other pilots in the future from coming forward.”
Rogan, who did not claim Elizondo directly shared the alien photos, emphasized their connection to the former official during his podcast. Elizondo previously appeared on *The Joe Rogan Experience* in 2024, where he claimed the U.S. government possesses “hundreds and hundreds of videos of UFOs.” *Daily Mail.com* reached out to Elizondo and his lawyer, Ivan Hannel, for comment on the recent photos but has not received a response.
As the debate rages on, the blurry, unsettling images continue to divide opinions, with some dismissing them as a hoax or misidentification and others speculating about their extraterrestrial origins. For now, the mystery surrounding the photos—and Elizondo’s role in their dissemination—remains unresolved, leaving Rogan and his audience grappling with more questions than answers.