United States President Donald Trump has announced that he has ordered federal agencies, including the Pentagon, to begin the process of identifying and releasing government documents related to unidentified flying objects (UFOs) and possible extraterrestrial life forms.
Trump did not clarify whether the classified documents would be made public, but stressed that the files should include "any and all information related to these extremely complex, but also very interesting and important matters."
"Given the tremendous interest shown, I will be directing the Secretary of War and other appropriate departments to begin the process of identifying and releasing government files relating to alien and extraterrestrial life, unidentified aerial phenomena (UAPs) and unidentified flying objects (UFOs) ," Trump wrote late Thursday on his Truth Social platform.
The decision appears to come after increased public attention, spurred by comments from former President Barack Obama, who stated in a podcast that aliens "could be real," but clarified that he had not personally seen evidence and that there are no secret government facilities where such are kept.
On Sunday, Obama posted a clarification on Instagram, saying that the universe is so vast that the probability of life elsewhere is high, but the distances between solar systems make it very unlikely that aliens have visited Earth. He added that he had seen no evidence of extraterrestrial contact during his presidency.
Trump earlier criticized Obama for the comments, telling reporters that the former president " shouldn't have made them" and suggesting that the statements could affect sensitive information. "He made a big mistake," Trump said.
To date, there is no scientific evidence for the existence of intelligent life beyond Earth. A Pentagon report published in 2024 concluded that there is no evidence that UFOs are alien technology, attributing most cases to spy planes, satellites, or weather balloons.
However, Trump's announcement was met with swift support on social media and in Congress. Republican Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, who heads a congressional task force on unidentified aerial phenomena, publicly thanked the president for the decision.
Democratic Senator John Fetterman also openly supported the initiative during an interview on Fox News, calling the decision "fantastic" and adding that "America and the world deserve this transparency."
The publication of the documents is expected to bring one of the most mysterious and debated topics of modern times back into the global spotlight.