The US president’s announcement comes amid heightened interest following former President Barack Obama’s comments about aliens.
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Published February 20, 2026
President Donald Trump said he is directing federal agencies, including the Department of Defense, to begin “identifying and releasing” government records regarding unidentified flying objects (UFOs) and extraterrestrial life forms.
Trump did not say whether the classified documents would be released to the public, but added that the files should include “all other information related to these very complex but extremely interesting and important issues.”
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“Based on the significant interest expressed, I will direct the Secretary of the Army and other relevant departments to begin the process of identifying and releasing government files related to aliens and extraterrestrials, unidentified aerial phenomena (UAPs), and unidentified flying objects (UFOs),” President Trump said in a post on his Truth Social platform late Thursday.
The move appears to stem from increased public attention following former US President Barack Obama’s recent comments in a podcast interview in which he suggested that aliens are “real” but that he had never personally seen them and that none were kept in secret government facilities.
On Sunday, President Obama released a statement on Instagram clarifying the meaning of his comments, which went viral.
“Since it’s getting a lot of attention, let me be clear: Statistically speaking, the universe is so vast that there’s a good chance there’s life out there,” he said.
“But the distances between our solar systems are so great that it is unlikely that aliens will ever visit us, and we have seen no evidence that extraterrestrials have made contact with us during my time as president. Really!”
Earlier on Thursday, Trump criticized Obama for his comments about aliens, telling reporters that Obama “never would have done that,” implying that the former president’s comments were close to classified information.
“He made a big mistake,” Trump said of Obama.
There is still no evidence of intelligent life beyond Earth, and the Department of Defense released a report in 2024 stating that there is no evidence that UFOs are alien technology, most of which are reconnaissance aircraft, satellites, or weather balloons.
Nevertheless, messages of support quickly poured in on social media and from Capitol Hill after President Trump announced he would release all documents.
“Thank you Portus!” wrote Republican Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, chair of the Congressional Task Force on Unidentified Aerial Phenomena.
“As chairs of the task force investigating these subjects, we are extremely grateful for your work on this! We look forward to reviewing all the footage, photos, and reports with the public!” she wrote.
Democratic Sen. John Fetterman also appeared on Fox News and expressed his support for President Trump’s decision, calling it “amazing” and saying, “America and the world deserve this.”
