Obama Confirms Belief in Aliens, Denies They're Kept in Area 51

Former president says extraterrestrials are real, but he saw no evidence of contact during his time in office.

Published on Feb. 18, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

In a recent podcast interview, former U.S. President Barack Obama confirmed his belief in the existence of extraterrestrial life, stating that "they're real." However, he denied that any aliens are being kept at the secretive Area 51 military base, saying he saw no evidence of extraterrestrial contact during his presidency.

Why it matters

Obama's comments mark the first time a U.S. president has publicly acknowledged a belief in aliens, breaking a long-standing tradition of silence on the topic from American leaders. This comes as the Pentagon continues to investigate over 1,600 reports of unidentified aerial phenomena, fueling growing public interest and speculation about the possibility of alien life.

The details

In the interview, Obama told podcaster Brian Tyler Cohen that while he believes aliens exist given the vastness of the universe, he did not see any evidence during his time in office that extraterrestrials have made contact with Earth. He also directly refuted the long-held conspiracy theory that Area 51 houses an underground facility containing aliens, stating "there's no underground facility, unless there's this enormous conspiracy and they hid it from the president of the United States."

  • On February 14, 2026, Obama made the comments about aliens in a podcast interview.
  • In 2013, Obama may have been the first U.S. president to acknowledge the existence of Area 51.

The players

Barack Obama

The 44th president of the United States, who is the first U.S. leader to publicly confirm a belief in the existence of extraterrestrial life.

Brian Tyler Cohen

A progressive podcaster who interviewed Obama and asked him directly about the existence of aliens.

Area 51

A secretive U.S. Air Force base in Nevada that has long been rumored to house extraterrestrials and unidentified flying objects (UFOs).

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“They're real, but I haven't seen them—and they're not being kept in [Area 51]. There's no underground facility, unless there's this enormous conspiracy and they hid it from the president of the United States.”

— Barack Obama, Former U.S. President (YouTube)

“Statistically, the universe is so vast that the odds are good there's life out there. 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. Really!”

— Barack Obama, Former U.S. President (Instagram)

What’s next

The Pentagon's All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) continues to investigate over 1,600 reports of unidentified aerial phenomena, and may provide further updates on their findings in the future.

The takeaway

Obama's acknowledgment of a belief in aliens, while denying their presence at Area 51, represents a significant shift in the traditionally guarded stance of U.S. presidents on the topic of extraterrestrial life. This development, coupled with the ongoing Pentagon investigations, suggests the public may see more transparency from the government on the issue of UFOs and potential alien contact in the years to come.