What the U.S. government has already revealed about UFOs
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Scott Bray, former deputy director of Naval Intelligence, testifies during a House hearing on UAPs in 2022. Photo: Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images
President Trump's decision to release government files related to aliens and UFOs is reigniting one of America's longest-running mysteries.
The big picture: While it's unclear whether any new significant surprises await, the belief that government secrets may prove extraterrestrial life exists has fueled curiosity and speculation for decades.
- The latest chapter started when former President Obama said last week that aliens are real. He later clarified that he hadn't seen any evidence of aliens making contact with Earth.
- But his remarks prompted Trump to suggest this was classified information and promise to release new records.
Here's what the government has previously shared:
What's confirmed by the government
Between the lines: Much of what's been confirmed has been about unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAPs) rather than "UFOs." UAPs are airborne objects that are not immediately identifiable.
- The Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) confirmed in a 2021 report that UAPs are real, but there's no confirmation they stem from some extraterrestrial origin.
- The Pentagon has largely maintained that there is no evidence of alien technology nor any hidden programs within the government related to UAPs.
Yes, but: The Pentagon released three declassified UFO videos in 2020 filmed by U.S. Navy pilots in 2004 and 2015.
Congress hearings investigate UAPs
UFOs have been on Congress' radar for years, mostly due to bipartisan concerns about transparency and national security.
- Congress held a series of hearings from 2022 to 2024 as part of an investigation into UAPs and national security.
- Several officials testified that UAP sightings have simple explanations — that they were actually balloons, drones and optical effects.
- Officials also confirmed that hundreds of UAP reports exist, including military cases.
What they said: Sean Kirkpatrick, director of AARO, testified in April 2023 that many sightings involved "metallic orbs" — though he did not confirm extraterrestrial technology.
- Whistleblower David Grusch testified in July 2023 that he believed the government was withholding evidence and information about UAPs.
NASA, Pentagon downplay sightings
Flashback: In 2023, NASA released a report from its UAP study team that found no evidence of aliens.
- However, the government agency said they aren't sure what UAP technically are and that more research could be done into defining the unidentified objects.
An unclassified 2024 Pentagon report gave the public insight into what we know and don't know about UFOs.
- The report mainly found that several of the sightings in the 1950s and '60s were likely caused by tests of advanced U.S. spy planes and other tech.
- The report said there was no evidence of confirmed extraterrestrial activity related to UAPs.
Where UFOs are spotted
Americans share reported sightings all the time to the National UFO Reporting Center, which catalogs all reports for the public to read.
- The most recent claim was on Feb. 10, when someone reported seeing a UAP in Cave Junction, Oregon, that was "a shooting star" that made "a zigzag pattern."
- Of course, these reports are unconfirmed and anyone can file them.
By the numbers: The NUFORC collects data on where the most sightings have happened throughout the world.
- California remains the state with the most reported sightings at 17,061 as of February 2026, per NUFORC.
- The NUFORC reports offer varying details of what the unidentified objects look like.
- More than 10,000 people described the UFOs as a "fireball," with 14,000 spotting a "triangle."
The bottom line: The truth is out there, and Trump's order could provide new evidence for believers and skeptics to seize on.
Go deeper: How past presidents have handled the alien question
