Former President Barack Obama clarified remarks made during a podcast interview Saturday, stating he has seen no evidence of extraterrestrial contact despite acknowledging the statistical probability of life existing elsewhere in the universe. The clarification came after comments on the “No Lie With Brian Tyler Cohen” podcast sparked widespread media coverage and social media discussion.
Obama initially responded to a “lightning round” question about the existence of aliens by saying, “They’re real but I haven’t seen them,” adding, “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.” He later joked during the same interview that one of the first questions he wanted answered upon becoming president was, “Where are the aliens?”
Responding to the attention his comments received, Obama posted a statement on Instagram Sunday alongside a clip of the podcast interview. “I was trying to stick with the spirit of the speed round, but since it’s gotten attention let me clarify,” he wrote. “Statistically, the universe is so vast that the odds are good there’s life out there. But 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.”
The BBC reported that Obama emphasized the low probability of Earth having been visited by alien species, despite his acknowledgement of the statistical likelihood of extraterrestrial life. The Independent noted the initial reaction to Obama’s comments focused on his affirmation of alien existence, rather than his assertion that he had not personally observed any evidence.
CNN reported that Obama’s initial comments were made during a discussion that too covered the killing of protesters by immigration enforcement agents in Minnesota. The shift to the question of extraterrestrial life occurred towards the end of the interview, framed as a lighthearted “lightning round.”
Obama’s statement did not address ongoing investigations by the U.S. Military into Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAPs), formerly known as Unidentified Flying Objects (UFOs). The Pentagon continues to release reports on UAPs, but has not offered any definitive conclusions regarding their origin. As of Monday, February 16, 2026, no further statement from the former president has been issued.
