WASHINGTON – Former President Donald Trump has directed the U.S. Government to declassify and release files pertaining to unidentified aerial phenomena (UAPs), commonly referred to as UFOs, and alleged extraterrestrial encounters, according to multiple news reports on Friday, February 21, 2026. The order comes despite Trump stating he is unsure if aliens are, in fact, real.
The directive, confirmed by LiveNOW from FOX, instructs various government agencies to identify and release any previously classified information related to UAPs. Even as the scope of the released information remains unclear, officials indicate it will encompass decades of accumulated data, reports, and investigations.
NBC News reported that Trump, during a recent public appearance, acknowledged the long-standing public interest in the topic but offered no personal opinion on the existence of extraterrestrial life. “I don’t grasp if they’re real, frankly,” he said, “But people have been asking about this for a long time, and I think it’s time the American people knew what the government knows.”
The move follows years of increasing pressure from both within the government and from civilian advocacy groups for greater transparency regarding UAP sightings. In recent years, the Pentagon has released several reports detailing unexplained aerial phenomena observed by military pilots, fueling speculation about their origin. FOX 10 Phoenix noted that the order applies to files held by various agencies, including the Department of Defense, the CIA, and the FBI.
The timing of the directive is notable, coming after a Supreme Court ruling on Friday that limited the President’s authority to impose broad tariffs. AZ Family reported that Trump announced the UAP order immediately following the court’s decision, though no direct connection between the two events has been established.
The White House has not yet released a specific timeline for the declassification and release of the UAP files. It remains to be seen what information will be made public and how it will impact ongoing investigations into unexplained aerial phenomena.
