President Donald Trump has directed federal agencies to begin preparations for the potential release of official documents related to aliens, extraterrestrial life, and Unidentified Flying Objects (UFOs).

Trump announced the move on Thursday via a post on Truth Social, citing “tremendous interest” from the public. He said he wants materials made available concerning “alien and extraterrestrial life, Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP), and Unidentified Flying Objects (UFOs),” along with other information tied to what he described as complex but highly significant matters.

Earlier, while speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump criticized former President Barack Obama over remarks made during a recent podcast appearance.
“He’s not supposed to be doing that,” Trump said, adding, “He made a big mistake.”

Despite ordering preparations for a possible disclosure, Trump appeared unsure about the existence of aliens.
“Well, I don’t know if they’re real or not,” he said, noting that while many people believe in extraterrestrial life, he does not usually discuss the subject and holds no firm opinion.

The renewed discussion followed comments Obama made during a podcast hosted by Brian Tyler Cohen. During the interview, Obama joked that aliens are “real,” but added that he had neither seen them nor found evidence that they were being kept at Area 51.

He also dismissed claims of a secret underground facility hidden from the president.

Amid widespread media coverage, Obama later clarified his remarks on Instagram, explaining that during his time in office he encountered no evidence that extraterrestrials had contacted Earth. He said his comments referred only to the broader possibility of life elsewhere in the vast universe, not to any confirmed alien encounters.