Washington, United States. Donald Trump said he would order the Pentagon chief and other agencies to release information related to aliens, calling the subject “extremely interesting and important.” He also accused former President Barack Obama, without providing evidence, of improperly disclosing classified information.
Trump calls for release of information
In a social media post, Trump said he would direct Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth and other agencies to release the information.
Trump accuses Obama over public remarks
Earlier in the day, Trump accused Obama of improperly disclosing classified information when discussing aliens publicly, saying Obama “made a big mistake.”
“He took it out of classified information … He’s not supposed to be doing that,” Trump told reporters while traveling to Georgia.
There was no indication in Obama’s remarks that the former president released classified information. Obama’s office did not respond to a request for comment.
Obama addresses question about aliens
During an interview with podcast host Brian Tyler Cohen released on Saturday, Obama was asked if aliens were real.
“They’re real, but I haven’t seen them, and they’re not being kept in … Area 51. There’s no underground facility unless there’s this enormous conspiracy and they hid it from the president of the United States,” Obama said.
In an Instagram post on Sunday, Obama said, “I saw no evidence during my presidency that extraterrestrials have made contact with us. Really!”
In the post, Obama said he believed the statistical odds of life beyond Earth were high because the universe is vast, while adding that the chances of extraterrestrial life visiting Earth were low given the distance.
Background on Area 51
Area 51 is a classified Air Force facility in Nevada that fringe theorists have speculated holds alien bodies and a crashed spaceship. CIA archives released in 2013 said it was a test site for top-secret spy planes.
Trump says he has not seen evidence
Following his comments on Obama, Trump said he had not seen evidence that aliens exist, saying, “I don’t know if they’re real or not.”
What information, if any, should be released to the public about government investigations into unexplained aerial phenomena?
