U.S. President Donald Trump has directed federal agencies to begin identifying and releasing government records related to unidentified flying objects (UFOs), unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP), and potential evidence of extraterrestrial life, igniting fresh public interest in long-standing debates over government transparency on the subject.
In a message posted on his social media platform Truth Social Thursday, Trump said the move responds to widespread curiosity.
“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,” he wrote.
The files targeted for identification and release could span reports, analyses and internal records from across departments, including the Department of Defense and intelligence agencies, but Trump did not specify which documents will be published publicly or when they might be disclosed.
Trump’s announcement followed comments by former President Barack Obama, who said in a recent podcast that aliens are “real,” though he later clarified that he was speaking broadly about the statistical likelihood of life in the universe and not asserting government possession of evidence of extraterrestrial contact. Trump criticised those remarks, suggesting Obama had disclosed “classified information.”
When asked about his own views on extraterrestrial life, Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One, “I don’t know if they’re real or not,” adding that many people believe in it and that his directive aims to satisfy public interest in the matter.
Interest in unidentified phenomena has grown in recent years after Pentagon and congressional scrutiny of unexplained aerial incidents, but official investigations, including a 2024 Pentagon report, have not confirmed the existence of extraterrestrial technology or visitation.
Trump’s order marks one of the most significant presidential pushes toward disclosure on UFO-related records in U.S. history, even as details remain vague and experts caution that identified UFO reports often have conventional explanations.
