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Trump Orders Pentagon to Release UFO Files Following Obama’s Alien Comments

Updated (7 articles)
  • US President Donald Trump gestures at the end of his speech after touring the Coosa Steel Corporation factory in Rome, Georgia, February 19, 2025. (Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP via Getty Images)
    US President Donald Trump gestures at the end of his speech after touring the Coosa Steel Corporation factory in Rome, Georgia, February 19, 2025. (Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP via Getty Images)
    Image: Newsweek
    US President Donald Trump gestures at the end of his speech after touring the Coosa Steel Corporation factory in Rome, Georgia, February 19, 2025. (Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP via Getty Images) Source Full size
  • Obama initially commented on the subject as part of a quickfire round of questions on a podcast
    Obama initially commented on the subject as part of a quickfire round of questions on a podcast
    Image: BBC
    Obama initially commented on the subject as part of a quickfire round of questions on a podcast (Reuters) Source Full size
  • WASHINGTON, DC – JUNE 15: U.S. President Donald Trump stops and talks to the media before he boards Marine One on the South Lawn at the White House on June 15, 2025 in Washington, DC. The President will attend the annual meeting of the Group of 7 nations, Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States are taking place in the Canadian Rocky Mountains in Alberta, and will run until late Tuesday. (Photo by Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)
    WASHINGTON, DC – JUNE 15: U.S. President Donald Trump stops and talks to the media before he boards Marine One on the South Lawn at the White House on June 15, 2025 in Washington, DC. The President will attend the annual meeting of the Group of 7 nations, Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States are taking place in the Canadian Rocky Mountains in Alberta, and will run until late Tuesday. (Photo by Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)
    Image: Newsweek
    WASHINGTON, DC – JUNE 15: U.S. President Donald Trump stops and talks to the media before he boards Marine One on the South Lawn at the White House on June 15, 2025 in Washington, DC. The President will attend the annual meeting of the Group of 7 nations, Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States are taking place in the Canadian Rocky Mountains in Alberta, and will run until late Tuesday. (Photo by Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images) Source Full size
  • US President Donald Trump speaks to reporters on Air Force One before taking off from Joint Base Andrews, Maryland on February 19, 2026. Trump is travelling to Rome, Georgia to visit local businesses and give remarks about the economy at a steel factory. (Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP via Getty Images)
    US President Donald Trump speaks to reporters on Air Force One before taking off from Joint Base Andrews, Maryland on February 19, 2026. Trump is travelling to Rome, Georgia to visit local businesses and give remarks about the economy at a steel factory. (Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP via Getty Images)
    Image: Newsweek
    US President Donald Trump speaks to reporters on Air Force One before taking off from Joint Base Andrews, Maryland on February 19, 2026. Trump is travelling to Rome, Georgia to visit local businesses and give remarks about the economy at a steel factory. (Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP via Getty Images) Source Full size
  • Obama initially commented on the subject as part of a quickfire round of questions on a podcast
    Obama initially commented on the subject as part of a quickfire round of questions on a podcast
    Image: BBC
    Obama initially commented on the subject as part of a quickfire round of questions on a podcast (Reuters) Source Full size
  • US President Donald Trump gestures at the end of his speech after touring the Coosa Steel Corporation factory in Rome, Georgia, February 19, 2025. (Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP via Getty Images)
    US President Donald Trump gestures at the end of his speech after touring the Coosa Steel Corporation factory in Rome, Georgia, February 19, 2025. (Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP via Getty Images)
    Image: Newsweek
    US President Donald Trump gestures at the end of his speech after touring the Coosa Steel Corporation factory in Rome, Georgia, February 19, 2025. (Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP via Getty Images) Source Full size
  • US President Donald Trump speaks to reporters on Air Force One before taking off from Joint Base Andrews, Maryland on February 19, 2026. Trump is travelling to Rome, Georgia to visit local businesses and give remarks about the economy at a steel factory. (Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP via Getty Images)
    US President Donald Trump speaks to reporters on Air Force One before taking off from Joint Base Andrews, Maryland on February 19, 2026. Trump is travelling to Rome, Georgia to visit local businesses and give remarks about the economy at a steel factory. (Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP via Getty Images)
    Image: Newsweek
    US President Donald Trump speaks to reporters on Air Force One before taking off from Joint Base Andrews, Maryland on February 19, 2026. Trump is travelling to Rome, Georgia to visit local businesses and give remarks about the economy at a steel factory. (Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP via Getty Images) Source Full size
  • WASHINGTON, DC – JUNE 15: U.S. President Donald Trump stops and talks to the media before he boards Marine One on the South Lawn at the White House on June 15, 2025 in Washington, DC. The President will attend the annual meeting of the Group of 7 nations, Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States are taking place in the Canadian Rocky Mountains in Alberta, and will run until late Tuesday. (Photo by Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)
    WASHINGTON, DC – JUNE 15: U.S. President Donald Trump stops and talks to the media before he boards Marine One on the South Lawn at the White House on June 15, 2025 in Washington, DC. The President will attend the annual meeting of the Group of 7 nations, Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States are taking place in the Canadian Rocky Mountains in Alberta, and will run until late Tuesday. (Photo by Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)
    Image: Newsweek
    WASHINGTON, DC – JUNE 15: U.S. President Donald Trump stops and talks to the media before he boards Marine One on the South Lawn at the White House on June 15, 2025 in Washington, DC. The President will attend the annual meeting of the Group of 7 nations, Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States are taking place in the Canadian Rocky Mountains in Alberta, and will run until late Tuesday. (Photo by Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images) Source Full size

Directive Issued Amid Public Curiosity On Feb 19‑20 2026 President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social that he will direct the Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, the “Secretary of War,” and other relevant agencies to locate and release all records concerning unidentified aerial phenomena, extraterrestrial life, and UFOs, citing “tremendous interest” from the American public[1][2][3][4].

Pentagon’s AARO Reports Show No Alien Evidence The Department of Defense’s All‑Domain Anomaly Resolution Office reported 1,652 UAP sightings through 2024, attributing most to balloons, drones, birds or debris and finding no proof of alien technology[1]. A separate 2024 unclassified report cited by The Hindu recorded only 485 military UFO reports, with 118 identified as mundane objects, also concluding no extraterrestrial evidence[3]. The discrepancy in case counts reflects differing data sets and reporting periods.

Obama’s Podcast Comments Prompt Trump’s Rebuttal Former President Barack Obama told host Brian Tyler Cohen that “they’re real but I haven’t seen them,” later clarifying on Instagram that life elsewhere is statistically likely yet no contact occurred during his 2009‑17 tenure[1][2][5][7]. Trump labeled the remark a “big mistake,” accusing Obama of disclosing classified information and rebuking him aboard Air Force One[1][4].

Congressional Hearings and Public Opinion Shape the Debate A July 2023 House hearing highlighted UAPs as a national‑security concern, while the first congressional UFO hearings occurred in May 2022, leading to the creation of AARO in July 2022[1][3]. A 2021 Pew Research Center survey shows 65 % of Americans believe intelligent life likely exists on other planets, fueling demand for transparency[2][5].

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Primary Data (1)

Pew: Most Americans believe in intelligent life beyond Earth; few see UFOs as a major national security threat

Published (3 tables/charts)

Timeline

2017 – Former officials leak Navy videos showing unexplained aerial phenomena, sparking public and congressional interest in UFOs and prompting later government investigations[7].

2019 – President Trump tells ABC News he has received a brief UFO briefing but remains “not a believer,” establishing his long‑standing skepticism toward extraterrestrial claims[4].

2020 – Trump declines to discuss the Roswell incident when asked, reinforcing his cautious public stance on historic UFO cases[4].

2021 – A Pew Research Center survey finds 65 % of Americans believe intelligent life likely exists on other planets, fueling widespread curiosity about alien life[4][5][6].

2021 – In a James Corden interview, Obama jokes about a secret lab holding alien specimens, later answering “no” and referencing unexplained aerial footage, which later resurfaces in media discussions[2].

May 2022 – Congress holds its first public UFO hearings, marking the federal government’s formal acknowledgment of unidentified aerial phenomena as a matter of public interest[7].

July 2022 – The Pentagon creates the All‑Domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) to centralize reporting and analysis of UAP incidents across services[7].

July 2023 – A House hearing on UAPs labels the phenomenon a national‑security concern; three military veterans warn that unexplained sightings pose a security problem and call for greater transparency[3][4].

2023 – A congressional panel on UAPs conducts a hearing but produces no breakthroughs or confirmation of alien life, underscoring the continued opacity of the issue[1].

2024 – The Pentagon’s AARO reports 1,652 UAP cases through 2024, concluding there is “no evidence” of alien life and attributing most sightings to balloons, drones, birds, or debris[3][4].

2024 – AARO director Jon Kosloski acknowledges several incidents remain “interesting” and beyond current physics and engineering understanding, urging more data and analysis[3].

June 2024 – An 18‑page unclassified congressional report records 485 military UFO reports, identifies 118 as mundane objects, and reiterates that AARO finds no proof of extraterrestrial technology[7].

2024 – Trump appears on Joe Rogan’s podcast and Fox News, reiterating he “has never been a believer” in extraterrestrials while noting “anything is possible” and describing the Roswell case as “very interesting”[4].

Feb 16, 2026 – Online rumors claim Trump plans a historic UFO disclosure speech on July 8, 2026 (the 79th anniversary of Roswell) and a press conference on May 1, 2026, though the White House and Newsweek find no verification of these events[6].

Feb 19, 2026 – Trump announces via Truth Social that he will direct the Pentagon, the Secretary of Defense, and the “Secretary of War” to locate and release all government records on extraterrestrial life, UAPs, and UFOs, citing “tremendous interest” from the public[1][4][7].

Feb 19, 2026 – Aboard Air Force One, Trump tells reporters, “I don’t know if they’re real or not,” and rebukes Obama for “a big mistake” in suggesting aliens are real, accusing him of disclosing classified information[1][5][7].

Feb 19, 2026 – Trump quotes, “He’s not supposed to be doing that,” referring to Obama’s alien comment, and adds, “I don’t have an opinion” on alien existence while pledging to pursue the file release[1].

Feb 20, 2026 – Obama clarifies his earlier podcast remark, posting on Instagram that while the universe is vast the probability Earth has been visited is low and he saw no evidence of extraterrestrials during his 2009‑17 presidency[2].

Feb 20, 2026 – Lara Trump says the president has a prepared alien‑related speech ready for “the right time,” while White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt says such a speech would be news to her, highlighting internal uncertainty about disclosure timing[7].

Feb 20, 2026 – AARO director reiterates that, despite the 1,652 reports, the office has found “no evidence” of alien life, though some cases remain “beyond our physics” and require further investigation[3].

May 1, 2026 (planned) – Rumored press conference on UFO disclosure is slated, according to a Washington insider cited by ufologist Mark Christopher Lee, though no official confirmation exists[6].

July 8, 2026 (planned) – Rumored historic speech on UFO disclosure is set for the 79th anniversary of the Roswell incident, according to the same insider source, pending verification[6].

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