TEHRAN – U.S President Donald Trump on Thursday night issued a directive to federal agencies to identify and release government records concerning unidentified anomalous/aerial phenomena (UAP) and “alien and extraterrestrial life.”

In a statement posted to Truth Social, he cited “tremendous interest” as the primary catalyst for the order.

“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.”

The announcement follows a sharp exchange regarding former President Barack Obama.

Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump accused his predecessor of improperly disclosing classified information during a podcast appearance where Obama remarked that “aliens are real.”

Trump asserted that Obama “made a big mistake” but suggested the new declassification order would “get him out of trouble” by retroactively authorizing the disclosure.

While Obama later clarified that he saw no “evidence of contact” during his presidency, the exchange has reignited intense debate over the limits of executive secrecy.

This push for disclosure arrives after years of legislative tension.

The UAP Disclosure Act, originally introduced by Senators Schumer and Rounds, was significantly weakened in Congress, with leadership stripping “eminent domain” provisions that would have allowed the government to seize recovered craft from private contractors.

This legislative gridlock follows landmark testimonies from whistleblowers such as David Grusch, who alleged the possession of “non-human” biologics, and former Pentagon official Luis Elizondo, who described an ongoing, secretive arms race involving advanced technologies monitoring military installations.

Reactions have been starkly divided. Representative Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) hailed the move as a victory against a “cover-up,” while Representative Eric Burlison (R-Mo.) noted that briefings have hinted at multiple “alien species.”

Representative Anna Paulina Luna also thanked the president, expressing a desire for public transparency.

However, Representative Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) dismissed the timing, stating, “They’ve deployed the ultimate weapon of mass distraction, but the Epstein files aren’t going away… even for aliens.”

On X, some users celebrated a historic breakthrough, yet many skeptics characterized the order as a tactical diversion from domestic controversies, the Epstein coverup, or even the U.S. military waging war un the Middle East.