U.S. President Donald Trump directed Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth and other agencies on Thursday to identify and release government files concerning alien, extraterrestrial life, unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP), and unidentified flying objects (UFOs). In a social media post, he emphasized the matter was “extremely interesting and important.”
Trump’s directive came in response to increasing public interest. Earlier in the day, without presenting any evidence, he criticized former President Barack Obama for allegedly improperly disclosing classified information regarding aliens.
Obama’s comments sparked discussion when Trump met with podcast host Brian Tyler Cohen in Georgia. When asked about the existence of extraterrestrial life, Obama responded, “They’re real, but I haven’t seen them and they’re not being kept at Area 51. There’s no underground facility unless there is an enormous conspiracy hiding it from the president.”
Obama’s position was supported by a statement in his Instagram post: “I believe extraterrestrials are out there because the universe is so vast that the statistical odds of life beyond Earth are high,” he said, adding, “The chances of visiting Earth were low given the distance.”
Following Obama’s comments, Trump acknowledged his lack of evidence for the existence of aliens. In a recent statement, he said, “I don’t know if they’re real or not.”
In recent years, the Pentagon has investigated reports of UFOs and confirmed through senior military leaders that no evidence indicates extraterrestrial visits to Earth or crash-landings.
The National Archives and Records Administration website also reveals records related to UFO sightings across various collections. In parallel, in 2024, a Pentagon report stated there is “no conclusive evidence” supporting extraterrestrial technology and most sightings were attributed to misidentified ordinary phenomena.
While Trump’s directive sparked public interest, many remain skeptical about the existence of aliens. The controversy highlights ongoing debates within government agencies regarding UFOs and their origins.