President Donald Trump announced Thursday that he will direct federal agencies to begin identifying and releasing government files related to unidentified flying objects and extraterrestrial life.
“Based on the tremendous interest shown, I will be directing the Secretary of War, and other relevant Departments and Agencies, to begin the process of identifying and releasing Government files related to alien and extraterrestrial life, unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP), and unidentified flying objects (UFOs), and any and all other information connected to these highly complex, but extremely interesting and important, matters,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post. “GOD BLESS AMERICA!”
The announcement follows recent remarks by former President Barack Obama, who said during a podcast interview that aliens are “real,” though he clarified that he had not seen evidence of extraterrestrial life while in office.
Trump addressed Obama’s comments Thursday while speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One.
“He gave classified information, he’s not supposed to be doing that,” Trump said.
“I don’t know if they’re real or not, but I can tell you he gave classified information,” he added.
Trump also said, “I may get him out of trouble by declassifying.”
It remains unclear when the files referenced in Trump’s post will be released or what materials they will include.
Prior Pentagon Review Found No Extraterrestrial Evidence
In March 2024, the Department of War’s All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office released a historical report reviewing unidentified aerial phenomena investigations dating back to 1945. The office found no evidence that any UAP sightings were linked to extraterrestrial activity.
The report concluded that most cases involved misidentified objects, conventional aircraft, balloons, or other airborne debris.
Trump has previously expressed skepticism about extraterrestrial life. In a 2019 interview, he said, “I don’t want to really get into it too much. But personally, I tend to doubt it.”
During a 2024 podcast appearance, Trump said questions about aliens were among the most common he received and acknowledged that interviews with military pilots describing unidentified aerial encounters made him reconsider his views.
A November YouGov poll found that 56% of Americans believe aliens exist, and 47% believe extraterrestrials have visited Earth in recent years.
Trump previously ordered the release of government files related to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy and supported the release of documents tied to Jeffrey Epstein.
Whether the forthcoming UFO-related materials will contain new information beyond prior Pentagon disclosures remains to be seen.