President Donald Trump late Wednesday directed federal agencies to begin identifying and releasing government records related to extraterrestrial life and unidentified aerial phenomena, signaling a potential new phase of transparency on a topic that has long fueled public debate.
In a Feb. 19 post on Truth Social, Trump said he would instruct 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.”
The announcement follows comments earlier this week by former President Barack Obama during a podcast interview with Brian Tyler Cohen. Asked whether aliens are real, Obama said, “They’re real, but I haven’t seen them—and they’re not being kept in [Area 51].
There’s no underground facility, unless there’s this enormous conspiracy and they hid it from the president of the United States.”
After the interview circulated widely online, Obama clarified in an Instagram post that he was responding in the “spirit of the speed round,” adding that while “the odds are good there’s life out there,” the likelihood that Earth has been visited by aliens is low. He said he saw no evidence during his presidency of extraterrestrial contact.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Feb. 19, Trump criticized Obama’s remarks, suggesting the former president was disclosing “classified information.”
“He’s not supposed to be doing that,” Trump said, before adding that he could “get [Obama] out of trouble by declassifying” relevant materials.
Background on UAP investigations
During Trump’s first term, the Department of Defense established the Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Task Force in 2020 to improve understanding of UAP incidents that could pose national security risks. The Pentagon said at the time that it takes incursions into military training ranges and designated airspace “very seriously” and reviews each report.
A 2021 report to Congress concluded that limited high-quality data prevented officials from determining whether UAP incidents were of extraterrestrial origin.
While some cases involved unusual flight characteristics, analysts said these could stem from sensor errors, spoofing, or observer misperception.
The issue resurfaced in 2023 during a House hearing in which lawmakers alleged the government had not been fully transparent with Congress or the public about UAP investigations. Rep. Glenn Grothman (R-Wis.), then-chair of the House Subcommittee on National Security, the Border, and Foreign Affairs, said the lack of transparency had “fueled speculation and debate for decades.”
At the time, the White House acknowledged that unexplained aerial phenomena had been reported by military pilots and that some incidents affected training operations. Then–National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said the phenomena warranted scrutiny because of potential national security implications.
In a Nov. 24, 2024, press release, the Defense Department’s All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office reported receiving 757 UAP reports between May 1, 2023, and June 1, 2024, including 485 during the most recent reporting period. AARO Director Jon Kosloski said only a small percentage of cases are considered potentially anomalous and require extensive scientific analysis.
Kosloski emphasized that, to date, AARO has found “no verifiable evidence of extraterrestrial beings, activity or technology,” and that none of the resolved cases indicated advanced or breakthrough capabilities. However, he testified before the Senate on Nov. 19, 2024, that some cases remain unexplained.
Trump has not provided a timeline for the proposed declassification effort or specified which agencies would lead the review.
