On Thursday, President Donald Trump announced a new order for the Department of Defense and other government groups. He wants them to find and show the public all files about life from other worlds and unknown things in the sky, often called UFOs or UAPs. This move comes after many years of people asking the government to share what it knows. The President said he is doing this because so many people are interested in the topic. The order was sent to the head of the military, Pete Hegseth, and other leaders. This decision has started a large debate about what is hidden in secret files and whether the government has found proof of life beyond Earth.
Timeline of Recent Events and Key Figures
The push to release these files happened quickly after a series of public comments and reports.
Last Weekend: Former President Barack Obama spoke on a podcast. When asked if aliens are real, he said, "They’re real, but I haven’t seen them."
Early This Week: Obama clarified his words. He said he has seen no proof that aliens have visited us, but the universe is so big that life likely exists somewhere.
Thursday: Donald Trump posted on social media that he is ordering the release of all files on "alien and extraterrestrial life." He also accused Obama of sharing secret information.
Thursday Night: Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth showed his support for the order on social media.
| Actor | Action/Position |
|---|---|
| Donald Trump | Ordered the release of all UFO and alien files. |
| Pete Hegseth | Tasked with finding and sharing the files. |
| Barack Obama | Stated life likely exists but saw no proof while in office. |
| AARO | The government office that studies unknown sky objects. |
Official Evidence and Reports
Recent records from the government show that the military takes these sightings seriously, even if they do not call them "aliens."
"To date, AARO has discovered no evidence of extraterrestrial beings, activity, or technology." — June 2024 Government Report
The 2024 Report: An 18-page report sent to Congress in June 2024 looked at 485 sightings. It found that 118 of them were actually normal things like balloons, birds, or drones.
Military Videos: Since 2017, the public has seen videos from the Navy showing objects moving in ways that are hard to explain.
The Glowing Orb: A member of the House of Representatives recently showed a video where a U.S. missile hit a glowing object in the sky, but the missile bounced off.
The core of the matter is that while many sightings are explained as balloons, a small number of events remain unexplained by current military data.
Disagreement Over Previous Comments
There is a conflict between what Donald Trump says happened and what the records show regarding Barack Obama.
The AccusationTrump told reporters that Obama made a "big mistake" by talking about aliens. He suggested Obama shared secret information that he should not have.
The Counter-ViewNews reports and Obama's office say there is no sign that he shared secret files. Obama said his "they're real" comment was about the size of the universe, not secret government files. He also said there is no secret underground base hiding aliens from the President.
Investigation into Military Sightings
The Pentagon has a special office called AARO to look into these events. Their goal is to see if these objects are a threat to the country.
Expert Findings: Former head of AARO, Dr. Sean Kirkpatrick, said his team never found any program trying to copy alien technology.
Public Interest: Many people believe the government knows more than it tells. This is why Trump says he is opening the files now.
Process: Officials say that any files shared will still have to follow rules for "declassification." This means the government will check them first to make sure they do not hurt national security.
Does the timing of this order relate to the high public interest, or is there new information that has not been seen yet?
Analysis of the Potential Release
The release of these files is a major event for those who study the sky. However, experts in government records point out that the process might be slow.
Safety First: The military may still keep some parts of the files secret if they show how our cameras or radar work.
The Roswell Link: Some people believe the government might release the files on July 8. This is the date of the famous "Roswell" event from many years ago.
National Security: The main worry for the Pentagon is not just aliens, but whether these objects are actually secret drones from other countries.
Expert Opinion:The 2024 government report stresses that while many things are seen, they have not found any "technology from other worlds." Karoline Leavitt, the press secretary, previously laughed when asked about this, showing that some in the government may see the topic differently than the President.
Findings and Next Steps
The investigation shows that while the President has ordered the files to be opened, it is not yet clear what will be found.
Immediate Result: The Defense Secretary is now starting the work to find the files.
What to Watch For: The public will be looking for videos or documents that were previously marked as "secret."
Uncertainty: It is unknown if the "glowing orb" videos or other military sightings have explanations that have stayed hidden until now.
The next steps will involve the Pentagon reviewing millions of pages of data. They must decide which parts can be shown without revealing military secrets. This process could take months or years, but the President's order makes it a top priority for the agencies involved.
Sources and Context
The Guardian: Trump says he will order the release of Pentagon files on aliens and UFOs — Details on the Truth Social post and the argument with Obama.
CBS News: Trump says he's directing Pentagon to release any files on UFOs — Information on military service member reports and the whistleblower video.
NBC News: Trump says he's directing the Pentagon to release files related to UFOs and aliens — Coverage of Pete Hegseth's reaction and the "lightning round" interview.
CBC News: Trump claims he'll order agencies to begin releasing records on aliens, UFOs — Focuses on the lack of evidence for Trump's claims against Obama.
South China Morning Post: Trump says he’s ordering release of US files on UFOs and aliens — Context on the "tremendous interest" cited by the President.
Economic Times: Trump says he doesn't know if aliens are real but directs govt to release files — Provides data from the 2024 AARO report and past 2017 leaks.
Ground News: Trump orders agencies to identify and release government files on aliens — Aggregated details on bias distribution and the Roswell anniversary.