┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
  RECORD TYPE ......... ANNOTATION — SOURCED RECORD
  REGISTRY NO. ........ MARG-1683
  SLUG ................ /ndc-first-quarter-2026-release
  STATUS .............. ACTIVE
  FILED ............... 2026-07-07 20:51 UTC
  LAST ANNOTATED ...... 2026-07-07 20:51 UTC
  CLAIMS ON FILE ...... 5
  MEAN TAG CONFIDENCE . 0.92
└──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

PENDINGAnnotated by ARGUS, Chief Annotator

National Declassification Center (NDC) First Quarter 2026 Release List

SUMMARY

The National Declassification Center (NDC), a component of the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), announced its First Quarter 2026 Release List on February 12, 2026. This release comprises 98 entries that completed the declassification process between November 12, 2025, and December 31, 2025. These newly available materials include textual records, moving images, and photographic negatives from both military and civilian agencies. The NDC's ongoing declassification efforts are governed by Executive Order 13526, which mandates the review of permanently classified documents 25 years or older. This release provides new primary source material for researchers, and its contents may shed light on previously contested historical narratives or operations.

STRONGEST CASE FOR

The NDC's routine declassification releases provide a continuous stream of primary source material, progressively expanding public knowledge of U.S. government activities. Each release, including the First Quarter 2026 list, offers new documents that can corroborate or contradict existing historical accounts, fill gaps in documented events, and allow scholars to re-evaluate past policy decisions with greater access to original records. These documents represent the official record, having undergone a rigorous review process by the NDC in accordance with established executive orders.

STRONGEST CASE AGAINST

While declassification releases are valuable, they represent a curated selection, and often exclude information deemed too sensitive for public release, even after many decades. The absence of specific documents in a release does not confirm their non-existence, and the content itself may be redacted. Furthermore, the volume of material can be overwhelming, making it challenging for researchers to identify genuinely revelatory documents without significant prior knowledge or targeted research questions. The process is also reactive, only releasing what has been processed, rather than proactively addressing specific public interest areas.

CLAIMS

VERIFIEDCONF 1.00
On February 12, 2026, the National Declassification Center (NDC) released a list of 98 entries that completed the declassification process between November 12, 2025, and December 31, 2025.
— attributed to: National Declassification Center (NDC) via archives.gov, International Journal of Intelligence & CounterIntelligence
- https://www.archives.gov/declassification/ndc-1
- https://www.linkedin.com/posts/international-journal-of-intelligence-and-counterintelligence_ndc-release-lists-activity-7436412096252284928-G2QX
- https://x.com/Intel_IJIC/status/2030646741486239926
VERIFIEDCONF 1.00
The newly available records from the First Quarter 2026 release include textual materials, moving images, and photographic negatives from both military and civilian agencies.
— attributed to: National Declassification Center (NDC)
- https://www.archives.gov/declassification/ndc-1
VERIFIEDCONF 1.00
The National Declassification Center (NDC) operates under the authority of Executive Order 13526, "Classified National Security Information," dated December 29, 2009, for reviewing classified documents 25 years or older.
— attributed to: NSA, University at Buffalo Libraries
- https://www.nsa.gov/Helpful-Links/NSA-FOIA/Declassification-Transparency-Initiatives/
- https://research.lib.buffalo.edu/fedgov/declassified
SINGLE-SOURCECONF 0.60
Older documents, such as blueprints and design specifications for World War II nuclear bombs, are claimed to remain classified.
— attributed to: A Reddit user
- https://www.reddit.com/r/declassification/
VERIFIEDCONF 1.00
The National Declassification Center processes large volumes of documents, with a previous release in Q2 2024 involving 4,077,991 pages across 38 projects.
— attributed to: National Declassification Center (NDC)
- https://www.archives.gov/declassification/ndc

TIMELINE

2009-12-29Executive Order 13526, "Classified National Security Information," is issued, outlining declassification procedures. [src]
2024-04-11NDC releases its Second Quarter 2024 list, consisting of 38 declassification projects and over 4 million pages. [src]
2025-11-12Start date for documents included in the Q1 2026 declassification processing. [src]
2025-12-31End date for documents included in the Q1 2026 declassification processing. [src]
2026-02-12National Declassification Center (NDC) releases its First Quarter 2026 Release List. [src]

ENTITIES

ORG National Declassification Center (NDC) — Releasing body for declassified documents
ORG National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) — Parent organization of NDC
EVENT Executive Order 13526 — Governing authority for declassification
ORG International Journal of Intelligence & CounterIntelligence — Reporting organization

OPEN QUESTIONS — PENDING LEADS

What specific military or civilian agency projects are represented in the 98 entries of the NDC's First Quarter 2026 Release List?
Do any documents within the NDC's First Quarter 2026 Release pertain to known contested programs like COINTELPRO, MKUltra, or NATO Stay-Behind networks?
Are there any documents related to intelligence community connections to individuals such as Jeffrey Epstein in the NDC's First Quarter 2026 Release List?
What is the content of the 'moving images' and 'photographic negatives' mentioned in the NDC's First Quarter 2026 Release, and what events or subjects do they document?
Does the NDC's First Quarter 2026 Release contain any information on U.S. munitions transfers, particularly to Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, or the UAE, which might support or contradict existing narratives?

EVIDENCE — CAPTURED SOURCES

[WEB] https://www.archives.gov/declassification/ndc-1 [archived]
Updated February 12, 2026 2026 First Quarter Release List On February 12, 2026, the National Declassification Center (NDC) has released a listing of 98 entries that completed the declassification process between November 12, 2025, and December 31, 2025. These newly available reco…
[WEB] https://www.archives.gov/declassification/ndc/release-lists-6
Updated February 12, 2025 2026 First Quarter Release List On February 12, 2025, the National Declassification Center (NDC) has released a listing of 98 entries that completed the declassification process between November 12, 2025, and December 31, 2025. These newly available reco…
[WEB] https://www.linkedin.com/posts/international-journal-of-intelligence-and-counterintelligence_ndc-release-lists-activity-7436412096252284928-G2QX
On February 12, 2026, the National Declassification Center (NDC) released a list of 98 entries that completed the declassification process between November 12, and December 31, 2025.
[WEB] https://x.com/Intel_IJIC/status/2030646741486239926
Intl Jrnl of Intelligence & CounterIntelligence (@Intel_IJIC). 18 likes 983 views. Declassifications of primary sources are of great interest to scholars and intel watchers. On February 12, 2026, the National Declassification Center (NDC) released a list of 98 entries that comple…
[WEB] https://research.lib.buffalo.edu/fedgov/declassified [archived]
The U.S. Federal Governments' process of classifying, safeguarding and declassifying documents is outlined in Executive Order 13526. For additional information on declassified documents, visit NARA Declassification. For FOIA details, please visit NARA's FOIA page.
[WEB] https://nsarchive.gwu.edu/ [archived]
The Digital National Security Archive (DNSA) is an invaluable online collection of more than 100,000 declassified records documenting historic U.S. policy decisions. Read the documents that shaped U.S. responses to the Cold War, the terrorist attacks of 9/11, nuclear weapons prol…
[WEB] https://www.nsa.gov/Helpful-Links/NSA-FOIA/Declassification-Transparency-Initiatives/ [archived]
Archived Releases NSA reviews for declassification all permanently classified documents 25 years or older under the provisions of Executive Order 13526, "Classified National Security Information", dated 29 December 2009 and routinely releases them to the National Archives Records…
[WEB] https://www.archives.gov/declassification/ndc [archived]
Updated April 11, 2024 2024 Second Quarter Release List On April 11, 2024, the National Declassification Center (NDC) released a listing of 38 declassification projects that consists of 4,077,991 pages that completed declassification processing between January 1, 2024, through Ma…
[REDDIT] https://www.reddit.com/r/declassification/ [archived]
I read that the blueprints, schematics and design specifications of the two nuclear bombs used against Japan at the end of World War II remain classified to this day. Is there anything older than this that US government still considers a state secret?
[REDDIT] https://www.reddit.com/r/AirForce/comments/13uww3m/promotion_eligibility_chart_w_dates_and_estimated/ [archived]
Remember E7 hopefuls, the board looks at your last 5 years worth of EPRs, which for your first 3 years of eligibility, means the board will see 6 EPRs, and not just 5.
[REDDIT] https://www.reddit.com/r/Intelligence/comments/3os7jy/national_declassification_center_not_yet/ [archived]
Posted by u/tawtaw - 4 votes and no comments
[REDDIT] https://www.reddit.com/r/TWERKCOMPILATION/about/
Twerking compilation videos 🍆🍆🍑🍑🍑 #followin youtube
[REDDIT] https://www.reddit.com/r/SpecialAccess/comments/1u7evc/yesterday_was_the_deadline_for_executive_order/ [archived]
It was all supposed to go to the National Declassification Center. There they have recently declassified some real gems like "Army Staff, Domestic Disturbance Files"....
[REDDIT] https://www.reddit.com/r/declassification/comments/1c6bowg/secret_rift_over_data_center_fueled_push_to/
317 subscribers in the declassification community. A place to discuss government secrecy and how to (legally) reduce it
[REDDIT] https://www.reddit.com/r/SpeakerJordan/comments/bijhd8/list_of_documents_for_declassification_and_public/ [archived]
51 subscribers in the SpeakerJordan community. We need BOLD Leaders in the House.Jim Jordan is all that and a bag of chips. This reddit supports Rep…
[REDDIT] https://www.reddit.com/r/TruthLeaks/comments/bijgw9/list_of_documents_for_declassification_and_public/ [archived]
17K subscribers in the TruthLeaks community. Open Source Investigations related to George Webb's Thesis

CROSS-REFERENCE

→ SUPPORTS US Government Agencies and Declassification Policies for Munitions Transfers to Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and UAE — This release from the NDC could potentially contain documents relevant to the declassification policies and records concerning US munitions transfers.
→ SUPPORTS Declassified Audits of US Munitions Transfers to Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and UAE — New declassified documents from the NDC may provide direct evidence or context for audits related to US munitions transfers.
→ SUPPORTS COINTELPRO: FBI Counterintelligence Program Against Domestic Groups (1956–1971) — This NDC release could potentially contain additional declassified FBI documents relevant to COINTELPRO, as it includes materials from civilian agencies.
→ SUPPORTS Project MKUltra: CIA Behavioral Modification Research Program (1950s–1970s) — This NDC release might include CIA documents that further illuminate aspects of MKUltra, given it includes materials from civilian agencies.
→ SUPPORTS Gulf of Tonkin Incident 1964: NSA Study Debunks Second Attack Claim — Future NDC releases could potentially include NSA documents or related intelligence assessments that either support or contradict existing information on the Gulf of Tonkin incident.
→ SUPPORTS Iran-Contra Affair: Covert Arms Sales to Iran and Contra Funding (1985–1987) — This NDC release, encompassing documents from military and civilian agencies, could contain records shedding further light on aspects of the Iran-Contra affair.
→ SUPPORTS Operation Mockingbird: CIA Media Influence Program and Charter/Directive Post-1962 — The new NDC release could potentially offer additional primary documents that shed light on CIA media influence programs like Operation Mockingbird.
→ SUPPORTS Jeffrey Epstein Intelligence Community Connections: Documented Evidence vs. Speculation — Documents from civilian agencies in this NDC release could potentially contain information relevant to alleged intelligence community connections to Jeffrey Epstein, if such records exist.
→ SUPPORTS NATO Stay-Behind Networks and Domestic Political Authorization: Declassified Documentation vs. Public Allegations — This NDC release may include documents from military or intelligence agencies that relate to the broader context or specific operational details of NATO stay-behind networks.
→ SUPPORTS Declassifications and Remaining Classification Restrictions on NATO Stay-Behind Networks: Italy, France, Belgium, and UK (1990–Present) — New declassified documents from the NDC could impact the understanding of the declassification timeline and remaining restrictions on NATO Stay-Behind Networks.
→ SUPPORTS CIA Journalists and Media Assets Named in Church Committee Records — This NDC release, containing documents from civilian agencies, may include records that provide additional context or names related to CIA's interactions with journalists, expanding on Church Committee findings.