ELI5 If the tic tac story has been verified as true, and an object went into space and back down to the waters surface in 2 seconds, why is the government now saying it’s space trash? I’m not aware of any trash that can maneuver like that.

I think this AARO report is an attempt to throw cold water on a subject the government has yet to find an answer for. Since they have no answers for what the phenomena is, they have to make it sound like these things aren’t mysterious, or unresolved. No evidence that it’s extra terrestrial is accurate though. No one can definitely say what these things in the sky and ocean are, except the intelligence behind the crafts. However, saying vehicles that outmaneuver our best aircraft is space trash? That is the silliest response to the evidence at hand, and shows just what the government thinks about their citizens. Don’t believe your eyes, don’t believe our decorated Air Force pilots, just believe us. Why even issue a statement with such nonsense as the answer?