"Responding to significant current interest, I will direct the secretary of defense, as well as relevant departments and agencies, to initiate the process of identifying and releasing government documents related to aliens, extraterrestrial life, unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP), and unidentified flying objects (UFO)," US President Donald Trump announced on Truth Social on 19/2.

The US leader stressed that "all and any information concerning these complex but very interesting and important issues" would be considered for release. He concluded his message with, "God bless America." President Trump's post was later reshared on the White House's X account.

Trump's announcement followed recent comments by his predecessor, Barack Obama, who stirred public discussion by stating "aliens are real" during a podcast. Obama clarified that while he had not personally seen aliens, he was certain they were not confined in Area 51 in Nevada, as the site lacks secret underground facilities.

"Unless there's a massive conspiracy and they've hidden it from the president," Obama said.

After his remarks gained traction online, Obama clarified his message via an Instagram post. The former US president argued that the vastness of the universe makes the possibility of life elsewhere high, but the immense distances between star systems make human contact with aliens unlikely. He stated he saw no evidence during his tenure to suggest contact with extraterrestrial civilizations.

An image of a flying object seen by a US Navy pilot in Florida in early 2015. *US Department of Defense*

During an exchange with reporters on Air Force One on 19/2, President Trump told journalists he was unsure if aliens exist but believed former President Obama made a significant error in revealing classified information.

"He shouldn't have done that. I'll probably help him out of trouble by declassifying the documents," Trump said.

The Pentagon has tracked numerous UAP reports in the US and globally for decades. A 2024 US military report indicated that no government investigation into UAP has been able to confirm the existence of extraterrestrial life. Interest in UAP has significantly increased in recent years, drawing attention from members of Congress and defense officials. The US Congress passed the Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena Disclosure Act (UAPDA) in 2023, and the Department of Defense established the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) to continue reviewing related incidents.

Thanh Danh (According to CBS, Fox, Reuters)