Last Updated:February 19, 2026, 06:39 IST
Jimmy Carter stands out as the only US President to formally report seeing what he believed was a UFO. 
Former US President Barack Obama | File Image
Former US President Barack Obama joined a popular podcast this week and seemingly admitted that aliens were “real”. In an interview with podcaster Brian Tyler Cohen, Obama appeared to confirm the existence of extraterrestrials during a lightning round segment, where he gave rapid-fire answers to quick questions.
By the next day, Obama moved to clarify his statement, saying on social media that his response was made in “the spirit of the speed round.” He added that the chances Earth has been visited by aliens are “low” and stressed that he saw “no evidence” of extraterrestrial life during his presidency.
Read more: Aliens, Area 51 Intrigue & The Stranger Things That Went Viral After Obama’s Remark Explained
Here’s a look at what former US Presidents have said on aliens and UFOs
Jimmy Carter: The President Who Filed A UFO Report
Jimmy Carter stands out as the only US President to formally report seeing what he believed was a UFO. In 1969, Carter said he witnessed a mysterious flying object in Georgia along with several others. He later filed a report with the International UFO Bureau in 1973 and even promised during his presidential campaign to make UFO information public. However, once in office, Carter changed his stance, saying releasing certain information could harm national security. He also took a symbolic step toward extraterrestrial contact by placing a message of peace aboard NASA’s Voyager spacecraft, intended for any intelligent life that might encounter it.
Ronald Reagan: Aliens As A Warning And A Metaphor
Ronald Reagan also claimed to have seen an unidentified flying object while on a plane in the 1970s, according to accounts from his pilot. As US President, Reagan frequently used the idea of an alien invasion as a metaphor for global unity during the Cold War. In a famous 1987 speech at the United Nations, Reagan said humanity’s divisions might disappear if Earth faced an extraterrestrial threat.
Bill Clinton: Searching For Secrets
Bill Clinton openly admitted that he had asked aides to investigate whether the government was hiding alien evidence, particularly at the secretive Area 51 military base. He also expressed curiosity about the 1947 Roswell incident, one of the most famous UFO cases in history. Clinton later joked that he hoped any alien encounter would not resemble the hostile invasion portrayed in Hollywood films.
Read more: After Sparking UFO Frenzy, Obama Clarifies Viral ‘Alien Are Real’ Remark: ‘Saw No Evidence…’
Obama: Acknowledging The Unknown
Even before his latest viral remark, Obama had addressed the UFO issue. In a 2021 interview, he said there was footage of objects in the sky that could not be easily explained, though he emphasised there was no proof they were extraterrestrial.
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Washington D.C., United States of America (USA)
First Published:
February 19, 2026, 06:39 IST
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