Recently, US President Donald Trump has said he will direct US agencies, including the Defense Department, to begin identifying and releasing government files on aliens and extraterrestrial life, according to recent reports.
This came after Barack Obama, in a podcast last week, said he thinks aliens are real. Trump reacted strongly, calling it a mistake and suggesting that Obama shouldn’t have mentioned it publicly.Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One that he doesn’t have a personal opinion on aliens but noted that many people are fascinated by this. Later, on his platform Truth Social, he said he would seek the release of all files related to alien life, UFOs, and unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP).
The unusual sightings reported earlier made people more curious to know.
What Barack Obama said about aliens that sparked global curiosity
Obama’s comments seemed casual but got a lot of attention. He said aliens are likely real but admitted he has never seen them and that there’s no secret underground facility housing extraterrestrials. He added that unless there is an enormous conspiracy, such a facility has been hidden even from the president.In a follow-up post on Instagram, Obama clarified that during his presidency, he saw no evidence of contact with extraterrestrials.
Experts say he probably meant that, statistically, life elsewhere in the universe seems likely given how vast space is. His comments came during a rapid-fire section of a podcast interview, which may explain the offhand tone.
What is Area 51
When it comes to aliens, Area 51 is always part of the conversation; no discussion of aliens is complete without Area 51. It’s a secretive US Air Force base in Nevada, near the small towns of Rachel and Hiko.
Public access is strictly forbidden. Warning signs, armed guards, and electronic surveillance keep people away. Flying over it is illegal, though it can be seen on satellite images.Area 51 was established during the Cold War as a testing ground for aircraft such as the U-2 and SR-71 Blackbird. Its existence was officially acknowledged by the CIA only in 2013. Today, it reportedly continues to develop advanced aircraft and drones.
Some experts suggest that the alien rumours were encouraged by intelligence agencies as a form of distraction, starting as early as the 1950s.
Why are people still fascinated by UFOs
Interest in UFOs has picked up over the past few years. Back in 2017, reports came out about a secret Pentagon programme that looked into unusual sightings reported by military personnel. Then in 2022, Congress held its first UFO hearings in fifty years. The Pentagon even set up an office to gather reports of unidentified aerial phenomena.So far, none of the investigations has found proof of alien life. Most UFO sightings end up being normal spotting of planes, weather balloons, drones, and others. But people are still fascinated. Every time a politician talks about extraterrestrials, social media explodes with speculation.
