Trump accused former President Obama of disclosing classified information regarding extraterrestrial life.
President Donald Trump has ordered government agencies to release information about extraterrestrial life and related phenomena in a late night Feb. 19 Truth Social post.
“Based on the tremendous interest shown, I will be directing the Secretary of War, 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 (UAP), and unidentified flying objects (UFOs), and any and all other information connected to these highly complex, but extremely interesting and important, matters. GOD BLESS AMERICA!” said Trump in the post.
The post followed former President Barack Obama’s comments on alien life in a podcast interview earlier this week.
In the interview with podcaster Brian Tyler Cohen, Obama was asked whether aliens were real, to which he replied, “They’re real, but I haven’t seen them—and they’re not being kept in [Area 51]. There’s no underground facility, unless there’s this enormous conspiracy and they hid it from the president of the United States.”
After the interview went viral, Obama said that he was “trying to stick with the spirit of the speed round” in an Instagram post, adding that “the odds are good there’s life out there,” but the chances “we’ve been visited by aliens is low.” Obama said he saw no evidence during his presidency that aliens made contact.
On Feb. 19, during a press gaggle on Air Force One, Trump was asked about Obama’s answer, and he responded that Obama was disclosing “classified information.”
“He’s not supposed to be doing that.”
The president added that he does not have an opinion on the existence of aliens, but noted “a lot of people do” before asking Fox News reporter Peter Doocy if he believed in it.
“Well, if the president can declassify anything that he wants to, so if you want to make an announcement,” Doocy said.
Trump interrupted the reporter and replied, “I may get [Obama] out of trouble by declassifying.”
