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Monday, Feb 16, 2026
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Obama Sparks Debate by Saying Aliens ‘Are Real’ Before Clarifying No Evidence of Contact
Former U.S. president’s casual remark about extraterrestrial life draws global attention and underscores shifting attitudes toward unidentified aerial phenomena
Former U.S. President Barack Obama set off a wave of public interest after he responded affirmatively when asked if aliens are “real” during a recent podcast interview, though he quickly clarified that he had seen no evidence of extraterrestrial contact.
In an interview with podcaster Brian Tyler Cohen, Obama was asked in a rapid-fire segment whether aliens exist.
“They’re real, but I haven’t seen them,” he replied, adding light-heartedly that they were not being kept at the famed Area 51 facility unless “there’s this enormous conspiracy” that even he had not been privy to.
His comments, released over the weekend, quickly became a viral topic of conversation far beyond the usual political sphere.
The former president later took to social media to clarify his response, emphasising that while the vastness of the universe makes it statistically plausible that life exists elsewhere, there was no compelling evidence during his time in office that Earth had been visited by extraterrestrial beings.
He also dispelled the notion that secret government labs, such as the one long rumored in Nevada’s desert, held alien specimens or spacecraft.
The episode highlighted how public discourse around unidentified aerial phenomena — now referred to as UAPs — has evolved.
Where once such topics were relegated to fringe speculation, they have entered mainstream conversation, with recent Pentagon reports and congressional hearings examining sightings that defy easy explanation.
A growing number of Americans express belief in intelligent life beyond Earth, and both political and scientific communities have shown increased interest in analysing unexplained sightings.
Despite the initial viral attention, responses from Washington’s political class were largely muted, reflecting a broader public shift toward curiosity rather than skepticism about the possibility of extraterrestrial life.
Obama’s remarks, and his subsequent clarification, serve as a reminder that while the search for life beyond Earth captures imaginations worldwide, definitive proof of contact remains elusive.
In an interview with podcaster Brian Tyler Cohen, Obama was asked in a rapid-fire segment whether aliens exist.
“They’re real, but I haven’t seen them,” he replied, adding light-heartedly that they were not being kept at the famed Area 51 facility unless “there’s this enormous conspiracy” that even he had not been privy to.
His comments, released over the weekend, quickly became a viral topic of conversation far beyond the usual political sphere.
The former president later took to social media to clarify his response, emphasising that while the vastness of the universe makes it statistically plausible that life exists elsewhere, there was no compelling evidence during his time in office that Earth had been visited by extraterrestrial beings.
He also dispelled the notion that secret government labs, such as the one long rumored in Nevada’s desert, held alien specimens or spacecraft.
The episode highlighted how public discourse around unidentified aerial phenomena — now referred to as UAPs — has evolved.
Where once such topics were relegated to fringe speculation, they have entered mainstream conversation, with recent Pentagon reports and congressional hearings examining sightings that defy easy explanation.
A growing number of Americans express belief in intelligent life beyond Earth, and both political and scientific communities have shown increased interest in analysing unexplained sightings.
Despite the initial viral attention, responses from Washington’s political class were largely muted, reflecting a broader public shift toward curiosity rather than skepticism about the possibility of extraterrestrial life.
Obama’s remarks, and his subsequent clarification, serve as a reminder that while the search for life beyond Earth captures imaginations worldwide, definitive proof of contact remains elusive.
