After decades of speculation, the White House is moving to open the files. President Donald Trump announced that he will direct federal agencies to begin identifying and releasing government records related to UFOs, unidentified aerial phenomena, and extraterrestrial life.
He said the decision follows strong public interest in the subject. The announcement immediately reignited debate over what the government knows and what it has already disclosed.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said he would instruct the defense secretary and other departments to begin the process of locating and releasing relevant materials. He described the issue as “extremely interesting and important.”
However, he did not specify whether classified documents would be fully declassified for public access. He also said the files should include any other related information connected to these matters.
The move came hours after Trump accused former President Barack Obama of revealing classified information during a recent podcast interview.
Obama had said aliens are “real” in the sense that life could statistically exist elsewhere in the universe, but he denied any evidence of contact or hidden facilities at Area 51. Trump told reporters that Obama “made a big mistake,” though he did not clarify what was classified.
Interest in UFOs has grown in recent years after leaked Navy videos and congressional hearings revived scrutiny of unexplained aerial sightings. The Pentagon has investigated reports of unidentified objects amid concerns that foreign adversaries could be testing advanced technology.
A 2024 Pentagon report concluded that investigations found no evidence of extraterrestrial technology, with most sightings attributed to balloons, drones, satellites, or other conventional objects.
Trump said he does not know whether aliens are real. Nonetheless, his directive signals a renewed push toward transparency on a topic that has fueled public curiosity for generations.
