Updated – February 20, 2026, 08:48 AM IST – WASHINGTON
In a development drawing global attention, U.S. President Donald Trump has announced that he is directing the Pentagon and other federal agencies to begin identifying and releasing government files related to extraterrestrial life, unidentified flying objects (UFOs), and unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP). The move, he said, responds to “tremendous interest” from the public in these topics.
In a post on his social media platform Truth Social on Thursday, Trump said he will instruct the Secretary of War (Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth) and other relevant department heads to start the process of reviewing and declassifying any records that touch on “alien and extraterrestrial life, unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP), and unidentified flying objects (UFOs),” as well as “any and all other information connected to these highly complex, but extremely interesting and important matters.”
The President told reporters aboard Air Force One that he does not personally know if aliens are real, and described his own views on extraterrestrial life as neutral, saying “I don’t have an opinion on it.”
Response to Obama Comments
Trump’s announcement followed remarks by former President Barack Obama, who recently sparked media discussion by suggesting on a podcast that aliens could be real in a statistical sense due to the vastness of the universe — though he clarified he had seen no concrete evidence of contact. Trump criticized those comments, claiming they involved disclosure of “classified information” and saying Obama “shouldn’t have done that.”
What This Could Mean
While Trump directed agencies to review and release files, it is not yet clear exactly which documents will be made public or when. Government tracking of UAPs has been ongoing for decades, but past official reports — including a 2024 Pentagon document — found no confirmed evidence that unexplained sightings represent extraterrestrial life.
Still, the decision marks a notable moment in U.S. government transparency efforts on a topic that has fascinated the public and fueled speculation for years. Calls for more openness around UFO and UAP information have grown since leaks and releases in recent years, especially since 2017 when military videos of unexplained aerial encounters entered public view.
Public and Scientific Interest
Whether this directive will reveal new insights into unexplained aerial reports or extraterrestrial questions remains to be seen. Officials have previously emphasized that most UAP sightings later receive prosaic explanations — like drones, balloons, or aircraft — and that no verified contact with non-human life has been confirmed.
As federal agencies begin their review, observers worldwide will watch closely for any disclosures that shed light on one of the most intriguing subjects in modern science and public curiosity.