Trump orders federal agencies to identify, release UFO and alien files; accuses Obama of sharing classified info
President Donald Trump said he has directed federal agencies to begin “identifying and releasing” government files related to UFOs, aliens and unidentified aerial phenomena, a transparency push that has energized believers and skeptics alike amid renewed scrutiny of unexplained sightings.
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“Based on the tremendous interest shown, I will be directing the Secretary of War, and other relevant departments and agencies, to begin the process of identifying and releasing government files related to alien and extraterrestrial life, unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP), and unidentified flying objects (UFOs),” Trump, 79, wrote on his Truth Social platform.
Trump did not say whether classified documents would be made public or outline a timeline for disclosures. He added that the files should include “any and all other information connected to these highly complex, but extremely interesting and important, matters.”
The president’s post referenced the “Secretary of War,” a Cabinet title the United States abolished in 1947 when the Department of Defense was created. The White House did not immediately clarify whether his directive was formalized in a memorandum or executive order, or which agencies would be tasked with a review.
Hours earlier, Trump claimed that former President Barack Obama had revealed “classified” information in recent viral podcast remarks about the existence of extraterrestrial life. Asked about those comments by reporters, Trump said Obama “gave classified information, he is not supposed to be doing that,” adding, “he made a big mistake.” He did not specify what portion of Obama’s remarks he believed to be sensitive.
In the widely shared clip, Obama said, “There’s no underground facility. Unless, there’s this enormous conspiracy and they hid it from the president of the United States.” The former president did not present new evidence about alien life in those comments.
Pressed on his own beliefs, Trump said: “I don’t know if they are real or not.” No credible evidence has been produced of intelligent life beyond Earth.
The statement comes as interest in UFOs — rebranded in official channels as UAP — has surged, spurred by pilot accounts, declassified imagery and congressional pressure on the Pentagon to systematize reporting and analysis. Defense officials have long warned that some sightings could reflect foreign adversaries’ advanced surveillance platforms rather than phenomena beyond human technology.
In March 2024, the Pentagon released a report saying it had found no proof that UAP were alien technology. Investigators attributed many suspicious sightings to weather balloons, high-altitude or stealth aircraft, satellites and other routine activity misidentified in challenging conditions.
Trump’s call for disclosures is likely to intensify public and political demands for clarity on what the government knows — and what it does not — about UAP. It was not immediately clear whether his directive contemplates the release of historical archives, current investigative material or both, nor how officials would balance transparency with national security protections that typically govern intelligence sources, sensor capabilities and classified aerospace programs.
Advocates for broader disclosure argue that sunlight can dispel conspiracy theories and improve aviation safety by encouraging standardized reporting. Skeptics warn that without rigorous context, piecemeal releases risk fueling misinformation or revealing sensitive information about U.S. surveillance assets and methods.
For now, Trump’s order raises as many questions as it answers: which files, from which agencies, under what legal authority and on what schedule. Until those details are set, the latest pledge of UFO transparency will remain a political promise watched closely by a public eager for answers — whether terrestrial or not.
By Abdiwahab Ahmed
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.
