Trump Orders Probe into Deaths of Scientists Tied to Aerospace

Mysterious deaths and disappearances of 11 individuals with access to government secrets or 'exotic' technology spark federal investigation

Apr. 18, 2026 at 5:35pm

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A dimly lit, cinematic painting of a lone scientific instrument or piece of equipment sitting on a table, casting long shadows across the room and bathed in warm, golden light, conveying a sense of solitude and unease.The mysterious deaths of scientists working on sensitive government research projects have sparked a federal investigation into potential threats to those probing unconventional technologies.Huntsville Today

President Donald Trump has ordered federal authorities to investigate the mysterious deaths or disappearances of 11 scientists and individuals with access to government secrets, including an Alabama researcher who revealed she was being 'harassed' for her investigations into 'anti-gravity' technology before she allegedly took her own life.

Why it matters

The deaths and disappearances of these scientists, many of whom were working on advanced or classified technologies, have raised concerns about potential foul play and a potential threat to those exploring alternative or unconventional scientific fields.

The details

The latest case is the 2022 death of Amy Eskridge, a 34-year-old Huntsville, Alabama-based researcher who co-founded the Institute for Exotic Science with her father. In a 2020 interview, Eskridge said she had faced 'multiple interactions with both protective and threatening agencies and affiliations' about publishing a paper on 'anti-gravity' technology, which she claimed had already been invented. Eskridge's death has been reported as a self-inflicted gunshot wound, though limited official details have been publicly released.

  • In a 2020 interview, Eskridge warned that researchers working in 'alternative technologies' often faced threats.
  • Eskridge's death occurred two years later in 2022.

The players

Amy Eskridge

A 34-year-old Huntsville, Alabama-based researcher who co-founded the Institute for Exotic Science with her father, Richard Eskridge. She claimed to have faced harassment and threats over her research into 'anti-gravity' technology.

Richard Eskridge

The retired NASA engineer and father of Amy Eskridge, who co-founded the Institute for Exotic Science with his daughter.

President Donald Trump

The former U.S. president who has ordered federal authorities to investigate the mysterious deaths and disappearances of 11 scientists and individuals with access to government secrets or 'exotic' technology.

Karoline Leavitt

The White House Press Secretary who stated that the administration will leave 'no stone unturned' in reviewing the cases.

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What they’re saying

“If you stick your neck out in public, at least someone notices if your head gets chopped off. If you stick your neck out in private, they will bury you. They will burn down your house while you're sleeping in your bed, and it won't even make the news.”

— Amy Eskridge, Researcher

“We discovered anti-gravity, and our lives went to (expletive) and people started sabotaging us. It's harassment, threats. It's awful.”

— Amy Eskridge, Researcher

“I hope it's random, but we're going to know in the next week and a half.”

— President Donald Trump

What’s next

The Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) has stated it is investigating the deaths and disappearances, and the White House has promised to leave 'no stone unturned' in reviewing the cases.

The takeaway

The mysterious deaths and disappearances of these scientists, many of whom were working on advanced or classified technologies, have raised serious concerns about potential foul play and the risks faced by those exploring unconventional scientific fields. The federal investigation ordered by President Trump aims to uncover any potential connections between these cases and provide answers to the public.