Donald Trump initiates declassification of files on UFOs and extraterrestrial life

US President Donald Trump has expressed his intention to initiate the process of declassifying government documents related to alien life, unidentified flying objects (UFOs) and unidentified aerial phenomena. The decision comes amid growing public interest in the topic of extraterrestrial civilizations and after a number of official disclosures about unusual phenomena.

According to The Washington Post, Trump said, «I will direct the Secretary of Defense 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 (UFOs) and unidentified flying objects (UFOs), as well as any other information related to these extremely complex but extremely interesting and important issues.»

The statement comes amid increased public attention to the possible existence of extraterrestrial civilizations and government programs that have studied such phenomena.

In recent years, official U.S. agencies have already released videos of unknown aircraft whose movements, according to observers, did not conform to known laws of physics. These events have prompted lawmakers to demand more information and initiate investigations into possible cover-ups. Public interest is also confirmed by polls: according to the YouGov organization, conducted in November, 56% of Americans believe in the existence of extraterrestrials.

The decision to declassify was accompanied by some political controversy. Donald Trump reportedly criticized his predecessor, Barack Obama, for his public remarks on the topic of extraterrestrial life. Earlier in a podcast, Barack Obama said that aliens are «real, but I haven’t seen them,» adding that he has no evidence of contact with them. He later clarified on Instagram , «Statistically, the universe is so vast that there is a strong possibility that life exists. But the distances between solar systems are so great that the probability that we have been visited by aliens is low, and I haven’t seen any evidence that aliens have made contact with us.»

While speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Donald Trump called his predecessor’s words a «big mistake» and said he didn’t know if the phenomena were real, but said he believed the rules for handling information should be followed. Before Trump, President Bill Clinton also allowed the possibility of the existence of extraterrestrial intelligence, but emphasized the lack of confirmed data, noting that the inspection of the military base «Area 51» in Nevada did not reveal anything unusual.

It is worth noting that the possibility of the existence of extraterrestrials allowed and the Director of the space agency NASA Bill Nelson, which further fuels interest in the topic.

Recall, recently the head of the Archdiocese of the Patriarchate of Constantinople in the United States, Archbishop Elpidophoros, made a resonant statement that all Christian denominations together represent the one Body of Christ. This assertion was made on January 30, 2026, at an ecumenical prayer service that brought together representatives of various Christian denominations, including an openly lesbian «bishopess.»