Image Credentials: Image Title: TRUTH IS OUT THERE: TRUMP ORDERS DECLASSIFICATION OF “ALIEN AND UFO” FILES Source: (sora.openai) Date: February 2026. Attribution: This image was created using AI-generated imagery (sora.openai) and does not depict a real-world scene.
By Chronicle Staff with Agencies
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump has set the stage for a potential paradigm shift in the American understanding of the cosmos, directing federal agencies to begin the systematic declassification and release of all government records about extraterrestrial life and unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP).
The announcement, made late Thursday via his Truth Social platform, follows a week of mounting public pressure and a high-profile public spat with his predecessor, former President Barack Obama, over the secrecy surrounding “alien” visitors.
“Tremendous Interest”
In a characteristically bold directive, the President stated that he is ordering the “Secretary of War”, a term he has revived during his second term, along with the Pentagon and intelligence agencies, to identify and release files that have been shrouded in secrecy for decades.
“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,” Trump wrote. He described the subject matter as “highly complex, but extremely interesting and important.”
The Obama Friction
The move appears to have been triggered by recent comments from Barack Obama. During a podcast interview released earlier this week, the former president stated that aliens “are real,” although he clarified that he had never seen one.
Trump lashed out at the comments on Thursday while aboard Air Force One, accusing Obama of improperly disclosing classified information. “He made a big mistake. He took it out of classified information. He’s not supposed to be doing that,” Trump told reporters. He added, somewhat ironically, that his own declassification order might “get [Obama] out of trouble” by making the information public legally.
Transparency or Distraction?
While UFO enthusiasts and “disclosure” advocates have hailed the move as a historic victory for transparency, political critics have raised eyebrows at the timing.
The order comes as the administration faces intense scrutiny over the ongoing release of the “Epstein Files” and the recent arrest of former Prince Andrew in the UK. Some opposition lawmakers have characterized the sudden pivot to extraterrestrials as a “galactic-sized distraction” intended to shift the news cycle away from domestic legal controversies.
What Happens Next?
Pentagon officials and the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) have previously maintained that there is “no evidence” of extraterrestrial technology or beings. However, the President’s new directive requires a mandatory review of archives that may contain classified sensor data, pilot testimonies, and radar traces.
It remains unclear when the first tranche of documents will be released, or if the “Secretary of War” will move to redact sensitive technical data regarding U.S. military surveillance capabilities. For now, however, the White House has made one thing clear: the search for the truth is no longer a matter of science fiction, but of official state policy.