Trump Orders Release of UFO Files After Obama’s Comments on Aliens
President Trump on Thursday directed his administration to identify and release government files on UFOs and any "alien and extraterrestrial life, " a move he tied to a predecessor's recent public comments about aliens and that could prompt fresh scrutiny of long-standing military investigations. Updated February 20, 2026 at 8: 12 AM ET.
Aliens files directive and scope
In a social media post, the president told Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and other agency heads "to begin the process of identifying and releasing" any relevant files. He also called for the release of "any and all other information connected to these highly complex, but extremely interesting and important, matters. " It is unclear what specific documents might be identified or how broad the search will be.
President’s comments and the Obama exchange
The announcement followed remarks by a former president who told a podcaster that extraterrestrial life is real; that former president later clarified he had seen no evidence of contact during his time in office. When pressed about those remarks, the current president said he was not sure whether aliens exist and suggested the predecessor "made a big mistake" by discussing the topic publicly. The president added he might resolve any classification issues by declassifying related material.
What military reviews have found
The Pentagon has tracked reports of what it calls unidentified aerial phenomena, or UAPs, for decades. A 2024 military report from the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office stated it had found no evidence of extraterrestrial beings, activity, or technology and had "no indication or confirmation that these activities are attributable to foreign adversaries. " At the same time, military officials note that many observed incidents remain unresolved after investigation.
Recent incidents that fueled interest
Public interest has intensified as pilots and service members reported hundreds of unexplained sightings. Last year, one House Republican released a whistleblower video showing a U. S. missile striking a glowing orb in the sky and bouncing off it, and a former Navy pilot described frequent sightings of fast-moving objects in restricted airspace to a national broadcast. While many UAP reports can be explained by birds, balloons, drones, satellites and other phenomena, the persistence of unresolved cases continues to drive attention to aliens-related questions.
Timing, precedent and what to watch next
It is not clear what files will be released or when. The president did not set a timeline for the effort; earlier high-profile file releases by the same administration have taken months to materialize and in one instance had dragged on for nearly a year. Observers should watch for formal agency directives, inventories or declassification orders and for any statements from the Office responsible for UAP reviews. If agencies publish inventories of documents, those lists will indicate whether the release is limited to summary materials or includes classified records that may be redacted or withheld.
Implications for oversight and public debate
The move is likely to renew congressional and public attention on how the government collects, reviews and shares information about unexplained aerial phenomena. Lawmakers have pressed military and intelligence officials to assess whether UAPs pose risks to safety or national security; forthcoming disclosures — if they occur — will test whether existing reviews and reporting processes meet those oversight demands. For now, key factual anchors remain the 2024 office findings of no evidence of extraterrestrial technology and the administration directive to begin identifying records for potential release.
