United States President, Donald Trump has directed federal agencies to begin reviewing and releasing government records related to unidentified aerial phenomena, UFO sightings and claims of extraterrestrial life.
In a message posted on Truth Social, Trump said he would instruct the Secretary of War and other relevant departments to initiate the process of identifying and declassifying files connected to aliens, UAPs (unidentified aerial phenomena), UFOs (unidentified flying objects), and other related matters he described as “complex” yet of significant public interest.
“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.
The announcement came shortly after Trump criticised former President Barack Obama over remarks made during a podcast appearance.
Speaking aboard Air Force One, Trump suggested Obama may have overstepped by discussing the subject publicly, saying, “He’s not supposed to be doing that. He made a big mistake.”
Obama’s comments were made during a “lightning round” segment on a podcast hosted by Brian Tyler Cohen.
In that exchange, Obama remarked that while he believes it is statistically plausible that life could exist elsewhere in the vast universe, he saw no evidence during his presidency that extraterrestrials had contacted Earth.
He also dismissed conspiracy theories about secret facilities such as Area 51, stating there was no hidden alien program concealed from the president.
Following media attention, Obama reiterated on Instagram that although the universe’s scale makes the possibility of life elsewhere reasonable, he encountered no proof of alien visitation while in office.
When asked whether he personally believes in extraterrestrials, Trump responded cautiously, saying he was unsure and does not frequently engage in the topic.
Public fascination with UAPs has intensified in recent years. In 2024, the United States Department of Defense released an assessment indicating there was no verified evidence of alien encounters, concluding that most reported sightings were likely ordinary objects or misidentified phenomena.
Earlier, in 2023, the United States House of Representatives held a public hearing on unidentified anomalous phenomena, reflecting growing bipartisan interest. However, that session did not produce conclusive proof of extraterrestrial activity.
There has been no suggestion that Obama relied on classified intelligence in his podcast remarks.
Trump moves to declassify federal files on UFOs, UAPs, extraterrestrial claims
