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US President Donald Trump will direct federal agencies to begin "identifying and releasing" government records concerning unidentified flying objects (UFOs) and extraterrestrial life
This announcement, made on his Truth Social platform yesterday, 19 February, marked a potential turning point for enthusiasts who have sought these documents for decades.
Trump said the order was prompted by "tremendous interest" from the public.
"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)," Trump posted.
The directive followed a viral podcast appearance by former US President Barack Obama, where he claimed aliens are 'real' but denied they were being held at Area 51
In the episode, host Brian Tyler Cohen had asked Obama "Are aliens real?", to which the former president replied, "They're real, but I haven't seen them, and they're not being kept in Area 51. There's no underground facility."
When a snippet of the interview went viral, Obama clarified on Instagram that his answer was taken out of context, as he was trying to stick with the spirit of the episode's speed round.
"Statistically, the Universe is so vast that the odds are good there's life out there. But the distances between solar systems are so great that the chances we've been visited by aliens [are] low, and I saw no evidence during my presidency that extraterrestrials have made contact with us. Really!" he explained.
Trump rebuked his predecessor, telling reporters on Air Force One that Obama "gave classified information" and "made a big mistake."
Trump noted that while many people believe in alien visitors, he does not hold a firm opinion on the matter
Despite the excitement, the Pentagon previously released a 2024 report stating there was no evidence that UAP sightings involved alien technology.
Most reports were attributed to spy planes or weather balloons, but the new order could reveal whether more "interesting" data has been kept under wraps.
