US president Donald Trump said Thursday he would direct federal agencies to begin releasing government records related to aliens and unidentified flying objects (UFO), citing strong public interest in the issue.
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In a social media post, Trump said he planned to instruct Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth and other agencies to make the information public, calling the matter “extremely interesting and important.”
Earlier in the day, Trump, without providing evidence, accused former president Barack Obama of improperly disclosing classified information while discussing aliens publicly. Speaking to reporters while traveling to Georgia, Trump said Obama “made a big mistake” by referencing aliens outside classified channels.
Not to be outdone by President Barack Obama on a podcast, President Trump today vowed to drop the alien files, wrapped it in a blessing, and turned declassification into a cosmic season finale.
I’m all for sunlight on UAPs. Real leadership is boring on purpose: steady releases,… pic.twitter.com/guBxKvYzoS
— Mike Young (@micyoung75) February 20, 2026
Obama’s recent comments came during an interview with podcast host Brian Tyler Cohen, in which he said extraterrestrial life likely exists somewhere in the universe but added there was no proof of alien contact with Earth. He also dismissed conspiracy theories about secret facilities hiding alien bodies, including at Area 51.
“There’s no underground facility unless there’s this enormous conspiracy and they hid it from the president of the United States,” Obama said. In a follow-up social media post, he reiterated that he saw no evidence of extraterrestrial contact during his presidency.
US defence officials have long taken a similar stance. Pentagon investigations into unidentified aerial phenomena have found no indication that aliens have visited or crash-landed on Earth. A 2024 report concluded that most reported sightings since World War II were misidentified ordinary objects or natural phenomena and uncovered no extraterrestrial technology.
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Trump also acknowledged uncertainty about alien life, telling reporters: “I don’t know if they’re real or not.” The US National Archives says it holds numerous government records related to UFO investigations, some of which have already been declassified over the years.