Obama Clarifies Claim That Aliens Are 'Real'

Former president says he saw no evidence of extraterrestrial life during his time in office.

Published on Feb. 16, 2026

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Former President Barack Obama has clarified his previous comments about aliens being 'real,' stating that while he believes the odds are good that life exists elsewhere in the vast universe, he saw no evidence of extraterrestrial contact during his presidency. Obama explained that he was trying to respond quickly in a 'speed round' when he initially made the claim, but wanted to provide more context.

Why it matters

Obama's comments have sparked renewed interest in the topic of UFOs and extraterrestrial life, with lawmakers in Congress also investigating recent sightings of unidentified aerial phenomena. The former president's clarification highlights the ongoing public fascination with the possibility of alien life, even among high-level government officials.

The details

In a recent podcast interview, Obama had confidently stated that 'aliens are real,' while dismissing conspiracy theories about them being housed at Nevada's Area 51. However, he has now clarified that while he believes the odds are good that life exists elsewhere in the universe given its vast size, he did not come across any solid evidence of extraterrestrial contact during his time as president. Obama explained that the distances between solar systems are so great that the chances of aliens visiting Earth are low, and that he saw no proof of such contact during his presidency.

  • In 2021, Obama revealed on 'The Late Late Show' that he asked about alien specimens and spaceships shortly after taking office in 2009, but was told there was no evidence of such things.
  • Obama's recent clarification came after his initial comments on the 'No Lie with Brian Tyler Cohen' podcast, which were made in a 'speed round' and gained widespread attention over the weekend.

The players

Barack Obama

The 44th President of the United States, who has long expressed a belief that alien life exists but clarified that he saw no evidence of extraterrestrial contact during his presidency.

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What they’re saying

“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.”

— Barack Obama, Former President of the United States (Instagram)

The takeaway

Obama's clarification highlights the ongoing public fascination with the possibility of alien life, even among high-level government officials. While the former president believes the odds are good that life exists elsewhere in the universe, he saw no evidence of extraterrestrial contact during his time in office, underscoring the challenges of definitively proving the existence of aliens given the vast distances involved.