Obama Clarifies Alien Comments: 'I Saw No Evidence'

Former president says odds of alien life are good, but no evidence of contact during his presidency.

Published on Feb. 17, 2026

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Former President Barack Obama addressed comments he made on a podcast about the existence of aliens, clarifying that while the odds of alien life are statistically good given the vastness of the universe, he did not see any evidence of extraterrestrial contact during his time in office. Obama said he asked about aliens when he became president, but was told there was no lab or facility keeping alien specimens.

Why it matters

Obama's comments on the existence of aliens have generated significant public interest, as the topic of extraterrestrial life continues to captivate many people. His clarification helps provide more context around his views and experiences on the matter during his presidency.

The details

In an Instagram post on Sunday, Obama said he has not seen evidence of the existence of aliens despite earlier saying on a podcast that they are real. On the podcast, Obama stated that aliens do exist, but noted he had not seen them and there was no underground facility keeping them. Obama also previously commented on asking about aliens when he became president, but was told there was no lab or facility keeping alien specimens.

  • On February 16, 2026, Obama readdressed his comments about aliens in an Instagram post.
  • On February 15, 2026, Obama made comments about aliens existing in a podcast interview.

The players

Barack Obama

The 44th President of the United States who served from 2009 to 2017.

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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. Really!”

— Barack Obama, Former President (Instagram)

“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 President (Podcast)

The takeaway

Obama's clarification helps provide more transparency around his views on the existence of aliens, acknowledging the statistical likelihood of extraterrestrial life while emphasizing that he did not encounter any evidence of alien contact during his presidency.