Obama Clarifies Alien Comments After Podcast Remarks

Former president says he hasn't seen evidence of extraterrestrial contact during his time in office.

Published on Feb. 17, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Former US President Barack Obama clarified his comments about aliens after a podcast interview went viral. While he acknowledged the statistical likelihood of life elsewhere in the universe, Obama said he saw no evidence of extraterrestrial contact during his presidency and does not believe aliens have visited Earth.

Why it matters

Obama's comments about aliens generated significant media attention and speculation, given his former position as president. His clarification helps provide context and perspective on the topic of UFOs and extraterrestrial life.

The details

In a podcast interview, Obama jokingly responded to a 'lightning round' question about aliens by saying 'they're real.' He later posted on Instagram to clarify that while the odds of life existing elsewhere in the vast universe are good, he saw no evidence of extraterrestrial contact or visitation during his time as president. Obama has previously acknowledged the existence of unidentified flying objects, but has maintained that he did not encounter proof of aliens visiting Earth.

  • In a February 2026 podcast interview, Obama made comments about aliens that went viral.
  • On February 16, 2026, Obama posted on Instagram to clarify his remarks about aliens.

The players

Barack Obama

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

Brian Tyler Cohen

The host of the podcast where Obama made his initial comments about aliens.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

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 US President (Instagram)

The takeaway

While the topic of extraterrestrial life continues to captivate the public's imagination, Obama's clarification underscores that even former presidents have not encountered definitive proof of alien visitation or contact. The vast distances between solar systems make the likelihood of such encounters extremely low, according to scientific consensus.