In a move that has sent shockwaves through both the scientific community and Capitol Hill, President Donald Trump announced late Thursday that he is directing federal agencies to begin the process of identifying and releasing government records related to unidentified flying objects (UFOs) and extraterrestrial life.
The announcement, made via a post on his Truth Social platform, targets a wide array of federal bodies, including the Department of Defense.
“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,” Trump stated.
While the President did not explicitly clarify if top-secret classified documents would be made fully available to the general public, he emphasized that the search should encompass “any and all other information connected to these highly complex, but extremely interesting and important, matters.”
The sudden directive appears to be a direct response to a viral media cycle involving former President Barack Obama. In a recent podcast, Obama remarked that aliens are “real,” while noting he had not personally seen one or encountered secret government facilities housing them.
On Sunday, Obama sought to clarify his position on Instagram, citing the statistical likelihood of life in a vast universe while remains skeptical of actual visitations.
“The distances between solar systems are so great that the chances we’ve been visited by aliens is low, and I saw no evidence during my presidency that extraterrestrials have made contact with us. Really!” — Barack Obama
Trump, however, was quick to criticize his predecessor’s commentary. Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Trump suggested Obama “was not supposed to be doing that,” implying the remarks flirted with the disclosure of sensitive information. “He made a big mistake,” Trump added.
Despite a 2024 Pentagon report concluding that most UFO sightings were attributable to weather balloons, satellites, or spy planes, the President’s order received immediate praise from both sides of the aisle.
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Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL): The Chairwoman of the UAP congressional task force thanked the President on social media, stating, “I look forward to going through all the footage, photos, and reports with the public!”
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Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA): Speaking on Fox News, Fetterman called the decision “fantastic,” adding that “America and the world deserve this.”
As federal agencies begin the arduous task of auditing their archives, the world waits to see if the “truth is out there”, or if the files will simply confirm the Pentagon’s previous terrestrial explanations.