President Donald Trump on Thursday directed the Pentagon and other government agencies to begin the process of declassifying and releasing files related to unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP), commonly known as UFOs, and any information pertaining to extraterrestrial life. The directive, issued via a post on his social media platform, came hours after Trump criticized former President Barack Obama for discussing the possibility of alien life in a recent podcast interview.
Trump’s announcement instructed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and other agency heads to identify and release government files concerning UAPs, UFOs, and “any and all other information connected to these highly complex, but extremely captivating and crucial, matters.” The move follows a growing public and political interest in UAPs, fueled by reports from pilots and military personnel of unexplained aerial sightings.
The timing of Trump’s directive appears directly linked to comments made by Obama during a weekend podcast appearance. Obama stated that aliens are “real,” though he later clarified that he had not seen any evidence of extraterrestrial contact during his presidency. He explained his belief in the statistical probability of life existing elsewhere in the universe, given its vastness. Trump, however, publicly rebuked Obama, accusing him of disclosing “classified information” and suggesting he might “get him out of trouble by declassifying” documents.
While Trump expressed uncertainty about the existence of aliens himself, telling reporters he “doesn’t know if they’re real or not,” his administration’s action signals a willingness to address the subject of UAPs more openly. A 2024 Pentagon report, however, concluded that there is no evidence confirming the existence of extraterrestrial life despite decades of investigation into UAPs.
Public interest in UAPs has increased in recent years, prompting lawmakers to call for greater transparency from the Pentagon regarding its investigations into these phenomena and whether they pose a threat to national security. The Pentagon has been tracking reports of UAPs for decades, but the recent surge in reported sightings has intensified scrutiny.
It remains unclear what specific files will be released or what information they may contain. The process of identifying and declassifying relevant documents is expected to take time, and the scope of the release has not been defined. As of Thursday evening, neither the Pentagon nor other government agencies had issued statements outlining the implementation of Trump’s directive.
