Overview
- In a Truth Social post, President Donald Trump directed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and other agencies to start identifying and releasing government files on extraterrestrial life, UAPs and UFOs.
- The move followed Barack Obama’s podcast remark—later clarified—that aliens are “real” in a statistical sense, with Trump accusing him of sharing classified information and saying he could declassify materials.
- Defense Secretary Hegseth publicly reposted the announcement with alien and salute emojis, and lawmakers including Reps. Anna Paulina Luna, Tim Burchett and Nancy Mace welcomed increased transparency.
- Skeptics, including Rep. Thomas Massie, argued the push is a political distraction, while NASA’s press office said it supports open science and continues to make agency data publicly available.
- The Pentagon’s AARO and prior government reviews, including a 2024 report, state they have found no evidence of extraterrestrial beings, activity or technology, and no release schedule has been provided.