The long-standing fascination with what the federal government might know about extraterrestrial life in the universe – or potentially here on Earth – has fueled imaginations, propelled conspiracy theories, inspired science fiction literature, and driven blockbuster films. Answers to some of these profound questions could soon emerge into the public sphere, following President Trump’s recent directive for the release of files pertaining to UFOs and any “alien and extraterrestrial life.”
Mr. Trump announced on social media that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and other agency leaders should “initiate 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 other information connected to these highly complex, but extremely interesting and important, matters.”
His declaration came after former President Obama informed a podcaster, when questioned about aliens, “They’re real, but I haven’t seen them.” Obama later clarified that he never encountered evidence during his time in office, merely suggesting that “statistically, the universe is so vast that the odds are good there’s life out there.” Mr. Trump, for his part, told reporters he was uncertain about the existence of aliens but hinted that his predecessor might have been referring to “classified information.”
With these documents made public, the American populace might finally uncover what, if anything, the government has recorded regarding unexplained sightings. This includes instances like the video revealed last year by a congressional member, depicting a U.S. missile striking an unidentified glowing orb in the sky, which appeared to deflect the impact.
Between May 2023 and June 2024, over 750 new UAP sightings were reported, according to a government assessment. While these occurrences remain unexplained for now, experts suggest that a key benefit of releasing the files is enabling scientists to analyze the data and potentially offer factual explanations.
Sean Kirkpatrick, former leading government UFO investigator
Sean Kirkpatrick, who served as the inaugural director of the U.S. Department of Defense’s All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO), an entity tasked with investigating unidentified flying objects, cautions that those hoping for evidence of alien life on Earth may face disappointment.
“There are going to be unsatisfied people,” he informed CBS News.
Kirkpatrick stated, “You’re going to have a bunch of people who are going to continue to cry conspiracy, they’re going to say there’s a cover-up.” He views Mr. Trump’s directive as a “distraction for the administration.”
Kirkpatrick, a physicist, directed AARO from July 2022 until December 1, 2023, with a mandate to investigate unidentified flying objects and other aerial or anomalous phenomena.
His findings ranged from “hazing” within the Air Force to what he termed “deceptions” designed to conceal covert defense programs. Kirkpatrick noted that his office “had to stand up anything they could declassify,” yet proof of extraterrestrial life was absent.
“Nothing would have made me happier in that job but to have discovered alien technology and rolled it out,” Kirkpatrick remarked. “I don’t expect to see anything new.”
Kirkpatrick believes life likely exists elsewhere in the universe, but “the probability that extraterrestrial intelligent life is here is little to none.”
Federica Bianco, NASA study team
Federica Bianco, an associate professor in the astronomy and physics department at the University of Delaware, echoed Kirkpatrick’s viewpoint.
“The probability that we are the only life form or even the only technical society in the universe is negligibly small,” Bianco asserted.
Bianco was part of NASA’s independent team dedicated to studying unidentified anomalous phenomena.
“As a scientist and a member of the NASA UAP panel, I haven’t seen anything that indicates that we have observed phenomena that violate the laws of physics and require an alien society visiting us to be explained,” Bianco stated.
Neil deGrasse Tyson, astrophysicist
Neil deGrasse Tyson, director of the Hayden Planetarium at the American Museum of Natural History’s Rose Center for Earth and Space, knows precisely what he would seek in the released files:
“An actual alien. If one is presented, then no documents are necessary at all,” Tyson told CBS News.
Tyson suggested that the files might help reveal “that most people who look at the sky (day or night) are unfamiliar with optical, climactic, and astronomical phenomena. When that’s the case, a person is prone to report mysterious and unidentified objects.”
“The urge to have immediate answers drives many people to explain what they see as visiting space aliens from across the galaxy,” Tyson explained. “I call this, ‘aliens of our ignorance.'”
He pointed out that in the current era of the internet and social media, concealing a visit from otherworldly beings would be exceedingly difficult.
“Billions of photos and a million hours of video are uploaded daily to the internet, and none of them contain images of actual aliens,” Tyson noted. “The implicit assumption is that the government (somehow) has access to visiting aliens that no one else in the world with a smart phone has. And that the government has successfully kept it a secret among hundreds and possibly thousands of people. All the while, forgetting Benjamin Franklin’s edict, ‘Three people can keep a secret if two of them are dead.'”
Tyson explored the complexities of aliens reaching Earth in his forthcoming book, “Take Me To Your Leader: Perspectives on Your First Alien Encounter.”
“In science, skepticism is foundational to our profession, so we uphold standards of evidence that some interpret as disinterest or even denial. Don’t take it personally, it’s how any and all objective truths have ever been established in this world,” Tyson writes in the prologue to the book, scheduled for publication in May.
Shelly Wright, observational and experimental astrophysicist
Dr. Shelly Wright, an observational and experimental astrophysicist at the University of California San Diego, commented that scientific inquiry into unidentified anomalous phenomena and other life forms often evokes a “giggle factor” among the public.
Wright, who also participated in NASA’s independent study team, emphasized the need for more scientific investigation into this subject, noting the public’s profound curiosity. She frequently hears people ask, “Are we alone out here?”
As a scientist, Wright affirmed she is always searching for “life in the universe” and is humbled by the immense scale of the universe and our galaxy. She remarked, “The possibility of other alien life existing is likely, but it doesn’t mean it’s near us.”
Nevertheless, she expressed “excitement” for the document release but anticipates little new information, based on her experience with the independent study team, which only reviewed unclassified materials.
Wright expects most documents to be heavily redacted due to the sensitive nature of surveillance equipment utilized by the military in sighting many UAPs. She warned that releasing such information could compromise national security.
However, she added that the administration could declassify security and surveillance documents from decades past, allowing scientists to study the material with advanced technologies unavailable at the time of original data collection. This approach, she suggested, could safeguard national security while enabling scientists to gain a deeper understanding of what surveillance systems captured.
Janna Levin, professor of physics and astronomy
The universe is vast and home to countless other planets, yet within our solar system, scientists have long concluded that Earth stands alone as teeming with life.
CBS News contributor Dr. Janna Levin, a professor of physics and astronomy at Barnard College of Columbia University, observed that even as our understanding of the universe expands, “life still seems rare.” This is why astronomers are “very excited” about the potential insights the released documents might offer.
She explained that astronomers aren’t typically seeking the “little green men” of 20th-century sci-fi, but rather are keen on potential evidence of microbes. These minuscule particles are what astronomers search for, as microbes were instrumental in initiating life on Earth. “Let’s just get life started,” she stated.
Levin speculated that microbes from other planets might have been transported to Earth via a natural object that impacted our planet.
She expressed her desire to maintain “an open mind” regarding the contents of the documents.
“If there is anything in them, it would be really thrilling,” Levin commented. But she cautioned: “If there are claims of actual technologies from other civilizations — I don’t think anyone is actually expecting that, scientifically. I think if you’re expecting that, you’re going to be disappointed.”
Avi Loeb, theoretical physicist
Harvard theoretical physicist Avi Loeb, a prominent researcher of anomalous phenomena, stressed that the key is to examine the documents through the lens of known physics.
Loeb informed CBS News that he engaged with members of Congress last week, emphasizing the importance of consulting scientists like himself when reviewing the files. He noted that in most instances of unidentified phenomena, “something mundane might explain the data.”
He cited footage aired before Congress last summer, which purported to show a missile targeting what a congressman described as an “orb” off the coast of Yemen in 2024.
Loeb recounted that upon analyzing the footage, he arrived at a straightforward explanation.
“I said, ‘No, it’s not anomalous, it was just a drone,'” Loeb recalled.
When Loeb has the opportunity to review the files, his focus will be on identifying the truly unexplainable.
“There might well be a few incidents out of hundreds that would really be anomalous, and that’s what I’m looking for,” he stated.
Loeb highlighted a “fundamental question” in evaluating each incident with seemingly anomalous data: “Are the objects we see as anomalous operating under the fundamental abilities of humans?”
If the answer is no, he finds it intriguing. An object that appears to defy physics could potentially be extraterrestrial, he suggested.
Loeb directs the Galileo Project, which seeks artifacts from extraterrestrial civilizations near Earth. He has previously articulated why much of the currently classified material may not interest him: some information might have been withheld from the public to prevent adversaries from understanding sophisticated military sensors and systems, or because officials believed certain unidentified objects were manufactured by those adversaries.
“I am not interested in technologies manufactured by humans on Earth. The history of terrestrial technology does not interest me,” Loeb wrote. “I am far more curious about whether a more advanced civilization exists in interstellar space.”