Trump says Obama crossed line on alien remarks: 'He gave classified information'
WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump on Thursday, February 19, accused former President Barack Obama of disclosing classified information after Obama’s remarks suggesting aliens are “real” ignited a social media storm.
Speaking aboard Air Force One, Trump said Obama had crossed a line.
“He gave classified information. He’s not supposed to be doing that,” Trump said.
“I don’t know if they’re real or not, but I can tell you he gave classified information. He made a big mistake.”
.@POTUS: "He gave classified information. He's not supposed to be doing that... I don't know if they're real or not... I don't have an opinion on it, I never talk about it. A lot of people do — a lot of people believe it. Do you believe it, Peter?" 🤣 https://t.co/WcSbSCRpNS pic.twitter.com/FfV799DwSW
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) February 19, 2026
‘I don’t have an opinion,’ Trump says on aliens
When pointed out that Trump has previously said a president can declassify anything he wants, Trump joked that he might get Obama “out of trouble.”
He stopped short, however, of endorsing any claims about extraterrestrial life. “I don’t have an opinion on it,” Trump said. “I don’t talk about it. A lot of people do. A lot of people believe it.”
Obama’s podcast remarks spark viral debate
The controversy traces back to comments Obama made during a recent podcast interview with Brian Tyler Cohen. During a rapid-fire segment, Cohen asked the former president directly whether aliens were real.
“They’re real, but I haven’t seen them, and they’re not being kept in Area 51,” Obama replied, adding there was no underground facility unless there was a conspiracy hidden even from the president.
The clip quickly went viral, prompting widespread speculation and online debate. As the remarks gained traction, Obama later issued a clarifying statement on Instagram, stressing that his comments were meant in a scientific, not sensational, sense.
“Statistically, the universe is so vast that the odds are good there’s life out there,” Obama wrote.
“But the distances between solar systems are so great that the chances we’ve been visited by aliens is low, and I saw no evidence during my presidency that extraterrestrials have made contact with us.”
Lara Trump hints at future presidential speech
Adding to the intrigue, Trump’s daughter-in-law Lara Trump recently suggested that the president has a speech prepared on the topic of extraterrestrial life and is waiting for the right moment to deliver it.
She claimed Trump has hinted that, at some point, he plans to publicly address what he knows about “some sort of extraterrestrial life,” fueling further speculation around the issue.
