Obama says aliens are real in podcast interview

• During a podcast interview with Brian Tyler Cohen, former US President Obama stated his belief that aliens are "real," though he clarified that this is based on the probability of life in the universe rather than personal evidence or sightings.
• Obama lightheartedly dismissed common conspiracy theories, asserting that no extraterrestrials or secret facilities are being hidden at Area 51, joking that such a conspiracy would have to be "enormous" to be kept from the President.

Former United States President Barack Obama affirmed his belief in the existence of aliens during a recent podcast interview, stating clearly that "they're real."

The comments were made in a podcast released on Saturday.

This declaration adds to the growing discourse on the topic within American political circles, though Obama tempered his assertion by noting he has no personal evidence or sightings.

In the interview with podcaster Brian Tyler Cohen, Obama was directly asked if aliens are real as part of a lightning-round segment of quick questions.

He responded, "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."

The exchange was lighthearted, with Obama joking that his first question upon becoming president was, "Where are the aliens?"

The podcast covered a range of topics from political strategy and voter mobilization to personal reflections on leadership.

He emphasized that while he believes in the probability of life beyond Earth—given the vastness of the universe—he has not encountered any proof during his tenure in the White House from 2009 to 2017.

This is not Obama's first foray into the topic; he has previously addressed UFO sightings in interviews, such as during a 2021 appearance on "The Late Late Show with James Corden," where he acknowledged unexplained aerial objects but denied knowledge of alien specimens.

In the broader context of U.S. policy, Obama's comments coincide with increased transparency efforts, including the establishment of the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) in 2022 to investigate Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAPs).