PHOENIX, April 17 - President Donald Trump said on Friday that his administration's review of material related to unidentified flying objects has uncovered a number of "interesting" documents and that an initial tranche of those records will be made public in the near future.
At an event hosted by the conservative group Turning Point USA, the president told supporters: "We found many very interesting documents, I must say, and the first releases will begin very, very soon so you can go out and see if that phenomena is correct."
In February, the president directed U.S. agencies to begin releasing government files on UFOs, unidentified aerial phenomena and the possibility of extraterrestrial life, citing strong public interest in the matter. That directive initiated a formal review of records held across agencies.
Mr. Trump ordered the review after publicly accusing former President Barack Obama of improperly sharing classified information in a podcast interview in which Mr. Obama said aliens were "real." The review and the president's subsequent remarks underscore the administration's intention to increase transparency around these topics.
Summary
The president announced the discovery of notable documents during an inter-agency review of UFO-related material and said the first set of records will be released soon. The review was initiated by a February directive to U.S. agencies to make files on UFOs, unidentified aerial phenomena and possible extraterrestrial life available, and was ordered following an accusation concerning a former president's podcast remarks.
Key points
- President Donald Trump reported discovering "many very interesting documents" during a review of government material related to UFOs and related phenomena.
- He said the first releases from that review will begin "very, very soon."
- The review was launched after a February directive for agencies to release relevant files, and the order followed an accusation that former President Barack Obama improperly shared classified information when he said aliens were "real."
Potentially affected sectors
- Defense and aerospace sectors - given the subject matter involves aerial phenomena and government-held records related to airspace observations.
- Government transparency and records management - agencies responsible for declassification and public disclosure are central to the process.
Risks and uncertainties
- Timing uncertainty - while the president said releases will begin "very, very soon," specific dates and the scope of the first tranche were not provided.
- Verification uncertainty - the president suggested the documents will allow people to assess "if that phenomena is correct," indicating questions remain about the interpretation or verification of the material.
- Political and procedural dispute - the review was ordered after an accusation concerning a former president, which could contribute to political contention around the release and handling of records.
Details on the number of records, their contents, and the schedule for public release were not provided at the event. The administration's statements indicate an intention to publish materials publicly, but leave open questions about scope, timing and the process for verification or contextualization of the documents once released.