Overview
- Trump announced on Truth Social that federal departments, including the Pentagon, must identify and release records on extraterrestrial life, UAPs and UFOs.
- Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth publicly acknowledged the directive on X, while officials have not detailed the scope of records or a release schedule.
- The move followed Barack Obama’s viral podcast remark that aliens are “real,” which he later clarified, as Trump accused him of sharing classified information and said he could declassify material.
- Reactions split quickly, with lawmakers such as Reps. Anna Paulina Luna, Tim Burchett and Nancy Mace welcoming greater transparency, while Rep. Thomas Massie called the effort a distraction.
- Context from AARO and other official reviews holds that investigations, including a 2024 report, found no evidence of extraterrestrial beings, technology or contact, and NASA reiterated its commitment to open data.