Fresh debate over extraterrestrial life resurfaced in Washington on Thursday after US President Donald Trump announced plans to direct federal agencies to begin identifying and releasing government records linked to UFOs and alien phenomena.
In a post shared on his Truth Social platform, Trump said he would instruct relevant departments to start the process of reviewing and disclosing files concerning unidentified aerial phenomena and other materials connected to alleged extraterrestrial life.
Although the president did not clarify whether classified documents would be made fully public, he stated that the review should cover all information tied to what he described as complex but important matters.
Earlier the same day, Trump accused former president Barack Obama of disclosing sensitive information during a recent podcast appearance that went viral online.
Speaking on a programme hosted by Brian Tyler Cohen, Obama dismissed longstanding conspiracy theories surrounding Area 51, the secretive Nevada military base often associated with UFO speculation. He said there was no hidden underground facility storing alien life and joked that such a conspiracy would have had to be concealed even from the president.
Responding to those remarks, Trump told reporters that Obama had revealed classified information and suggested it was an error, though he did not specify what aspect of the comments was sensitive.
Pressed about his own views, the 79-year-old president said he remains uncertain about the existence of aliens.
Despite decades of public fascination, no verified evidence has confirmed intelligent life beyond Earth.
Renewed attention to UFOs in recent years has largely stemmed from official US investigations into unexplained aerial sightings, amid concerns that some incidents could involve advanced technologies developed by foreign adversaries.
However, a March 2024 report by the United States Department of Defense concluded there was no proof that unidentified aerial phenomena were linked to alien technology, noting that many cases were ultimately attributed to balloons, surveillance aircraft, satellites or other routine activity.
