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President Donald Trump said Thursday that he is directing senior administration officials to begin identifying and releasing government records related to UFOs, unidentified aerial phenomena, and extraterrestrial life.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said the move comes in response to strong public interest in the topic.
“Based on the tremendous interest shown, I will be directing the Secretary of War, and other relevant Departments and Agencies, to begin the process of identifying and releasing Government files related to alien and extraterrestrial life, unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP), and unidentified flying objects (UFOs), and any and all other information connected to these highly complex, but extremely interesting and important, matters,” Trump wrote.
“GOD BLESS AMERICA!” he added.
The announcement drew praise from lawmakers who have been pushing for greater transparency on classified matters. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.), who chairs the House Oversight Committee’s task force on the declassification of federal secrets, welcomed the decision.
“Looks like we are about to have a ton of hearings on this :)! Thank you @POTUS!!!” Luna wrote on X.
Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.), another member of the declassification panel, echoed that sentiment, posting, “It’s time. Thank you @realDonaldTrump.”
Earlier in the day, Trump criticized Barack Obama over remarks the former president made in a recent interview in which he suggested aliens are “real.”
“He gave classified information, he’s not supposed to be doing that,” the president told reporters aboard Air Force One.
“I don’t know if they’re real or not, but I can tell you he gave classified information.”
“He made a big mistake,” Trump went on. “He took it out of classified information. No, I don’t have an opinion on it. I never talk about it. A lot of people do. A lot of people believe it.”
Obama made his comments during an interview with podcast host Brian Tyler Cohen, stating that while he had not personally “seen” aliens, he was certain that “they’re not being kept in Area 51.”
He later clarified that his response came in “the spirit of the speed round” portion of the interview, explaining that he was referring to the statistical likelihood of life existing somewhere else in the vast universe.
Obama also said he saw “no evidence” of alien life during his time as commander-in-chief.
Following Trump’s announcement about releasing government files, Cohen responded on social media after facing criticism for not pressing Obama further during the interview.
“Yall [complained] at me about a follow up question but now we’re gonna get the truth about aliens and UFOs you’re welcome,” Cohen wrote.
U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee on Thursday forcefully rejected Tucker Carlson’s claim that he and his staff were detained and harassed by Israeli airport authorities following an interview, calling the allegations unfounded and contradicted by surveillance footage.
Appearing on Newsmax’s “American Agenda,” Huckabee said new evidence undermines Carlson’s account. “Something has surfaced that totally blows this out of the water,” Huckabee said.
“Tucker Carlson is seen on surveillance video in the lounge, and he’s hugging and taking photos with the very airport employees that supposedly detained him and harassed him,” the ambassador added.
Carlson told The Daily Mail that after conducting an interview with Huckabee, airport personnel approached his team. “men who identified themselves as airport security took our passports, hauled our executive producer into a side room, and then demanded to know what we spoke to Ambassador Huckabee about,” Carlson said.
“It was bizarre,” Carlson said. “We’re now out of the country.”
Huckabee described Carlson’s version of events as exaggerated and inaccurate, saying the episode had been mischaracterized. Calling the claims “really unfortunate,” he then used sarcasm to challenge the portrayal.
“I’ll tell you, they roughed him up with all kinds of special snacks. They took his picture, they hugged him,” Huckabee said.
“For this ridiculously untrue story about how he was detained, he was not,” the ambassador added.
Israeli officials have also denied that Carlson was mistreated. Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett went further, sharply criticizing the conservative commentator and dismissing his narrative.
“The guy who’s been spouting lies about Israel for the past two years, landed today at Ben Gurion airport, took a quick picture in the logistics zone, tweeted it to pretend he’s actually IN Israel (so he can later claim that he’s a serious reporter who toured Israel), didn’t even step foot in country, then made up a story that he’s being supposedly harassed by our security (didn’t happen), whined about it, got back into the private jet and flew off,” Bennett wrote on X.
“Next time he talks about Israel as if he’s some expert, just remember this guy is a phony!” he added.
Huckabee emphasized that standard airport screening procedures apply to all travelers entering or leaving Israel, including himself.
“They looked at his passport. They looked at everybody’s passport,” he said.
“They asked him the standard questions they ask everyone coming in or out of the country.”
The ambassador noted that he too is subject to routine checks. Huckabee said he must present his diplomatic visa each time he travels and that authorities “ask me the same questions.”
The controversy comes as Carlson and Huckabee represent two distinct strands within the broader Christian MAGA movement, reflecting wider disagreements within Republican circles over Israel policy, according to The Jewish News.
Carlson, a prominent conservative media figure, has increasingly voiced criticism of Israel on his platform, influencing a growing segment of younger right-leaning activists and political hopefuls.
Huckabee, in contrast, is a well-known evangelical Christian Zionist who has long supported Israeli sovereignty in the West Bank.
The interview itself followed public tension between the two men. Huckabee had sought a sit-down after Carlson accused him on his podcast of failing to challenge what Carlson described as Israeli demonization of Christians.
Carlson eventually agreed to the interview and posted a photograph Wednesday showing his arrival ahead of the discussion.
Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) said during a town hall that discussions within the Democratic Party now extend beyond eliminating U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to potentially breaking up the entire Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
Addressing constituents, Omar said that the political climate has shifted since she first entered Congress, making such proposals more mainstream within her party.
“What I will say is that there is an easier conversation happening today than six, seven years ago when I got to Congress, about what we need to do with ICE, which is to abolish it,” Omar told her audience during the townhall meeting.
She went on to indicate that broader structural changes are also being debated.
“There is a lot of conversation about what the dismantlement of the Department of Homeland Security should look like,” she added.
Omar’s remarks come amid heightened tensions over federal immigration enforcement actions in recent weeks. She and other Democratic officials, including Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, have been outspoken in criticizing ICE operations.
ICE was established in 2003, and enforcement raids have long been part of its mandate. However, critics of the Trump administration have portrayed recent operations as part of a broader crackdown, arguing that resistance to such enforcement is necessary.
According to Breitbart News, Minnesota, led by Democrats, has seen far-left demonstrators confront federal immigration officers. The outlet reported that some elected officials, including Walz and Omar, have used strong rhetoric in response to ICE actions.
Last month, Walz, who lost the 2024 presidential election to President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance, warned that he might deploy the Minnesota National Guard in response to federal law enforcement activity. He also issued a broader warning to residents in other parts of the country.
“To Americans who are watching this, if you’re in Portland or you’re in L.A., or you’re in Chicago, or you’re wherever, they’re coming next,” the governor said, before urging people across the U.S. to “stand with us against this.”
WATCH:
President Donald Trump on Thursday alleged that Barack Obama improperly disclosed classified material while speaking about extraterrestrial life, asserting that the former president committed a serious error by referencing restricted information.
The comments came during a conversation with reporters aboard Air Force One, when a White House correspondent asked Trump about remarks Obama made over the weekend concerning aliens and whether Trump himself had seen any proof of non-human life visiting Earth.
“Well, he gave classified information. He’s not supposed to be doing that,” Trump said.
Pressed to clarify what he meant, the President repeated the accusation.
“I don’t know if they’re real or not,” he said. “I can tell you he gave classified information. He’s not supposed to be doing that. He made a big mistake. He took it out of classified information.”
Trump indicated that he typically avoids discussing the subject.
“I never talk about it. A lot of people do,” the president said, adding, “I may get him out of trouble by declassifying.”
The exchange stemmed from a Saturday appearance by Obama on the “No Lie” podcast, where he was asked in a rapid-fire segment about the existence of aliens.
“They’re real, but I haven’t seen them,” Obama said, before adding they are not being held at Area 51. “There’s no underground facility, unless there’s this enormous conspiracy, and they hid it from the president of the United States,” he added.
After his comments gained widespread attention, Obama sought to clarify his position in a post on Instagram.
“I was trying to stick with the spirit of the speed round, but since it’s gotten attention let me clarify. Statistically, the universe is so vast that the odds are good there’s life out there,” Obama wrote on Instagram.
“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!” he added.
President Donald Trump announced Thursday that nine countries have committed $7 billion toward rebuilding Gaza and that five nations have agreed to send troops as part of a new international stabilization force, marking a major step in his administration’s postwar plan for the Palestinian territory.
Speaking at the inaugural meeting of the Board of Peace in Washington, Trump said Indonesia, Morocco, Kazakhstan, Kosovo and Albania will contribute troops to the Gaza stabilization mission. Egypt and Jordan, he added, have agreed to assist by training police forces for the effort.
The initial deployment of forces is expected to focus on Rafah, a key population hub in southern Gaza, where U.S. officials intend to concentrate early reconstruction initiatives.
Trump identified Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, the United Arab Emirates, Morocco, Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Uzbekistan and Kuwait as the countries providing financial pledges for the relief package.
“Every dollar spent is an investment in stability and the hope of new and harmonious (region),” Trump said as he thanked participating nations. He added, “The Board of Peace is showing how a better future can be built right here in this room.”
Although the $7 billion in commitments represents a substantial sum, it falls well short of the roughly $70 billion experts estimate will be required to fully rebuild Gaza after two years of devastating conflict.
The President also revealed that the United States would contribute $10 billion to the Board of Peace, though he did not detail how those funds would be allocated.
Maj. Gen. Jasper Jeffers, who is heading the newly established International Stabilization Force, outlined the scope of the proposed security presence. He said the plan envisions 12,000 police officers and 20,000 troops operating in Gaza.
“With these first steps, we help bring the security that Gaza needs for a future of prosperity and enduring peace,” Jeffers said.
The Board of Peace was originally conceived as part of Trump’s 20-point framework aimed at ending the war in Gaza. Following the October ceasefire, the President broadened the body’s mandate to include wider international conflict-resolution initiatives.
Some observers have questioned whether the expanded mission of the Board could encroach on responsibilities traditionally handled by the United Nations.
Responding to those concerns, Trump argued that the new body would ultimately strengthen the U.N. rather than weaken it.
“Someday I won’t be here. The United Nations will be,” Trump said. “I think it is going to be much stronger, and the Board of Peace is going to almost be looking over the United Nations and making sure it runs properly.”
While most countries dispatched senior representatives to the event, several heads of state attended in person, including Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, Argentine President Javier Milei, and Hungarian President Viktor Orbán.
More than 40 nations, along with the European Union, confirmed participation in Thursday’s session. Germany, Italy, Norway, Switzerland and the United Kingdom were among more than a dozen countries that did not formally join the Board but took part as observers.
“Almost everybody’s accepted, and the ones that haven’t, will be,” Trump predicted. “And some are playing a little cute — it doesn’t work. You can’t play cute with me.”
The meeting came one day after the U.N. Security Council convened a high-level session to discuss the Gaza ceasefire agreement and Israel’s moves to expand its presence in the West Bank. That session, originally scheduled for Thursday, was moved up after Trump set the Board’s meeting for the same day, complicating travel arrangements for diplomats seeking to attend both gatherings.
Earlier in the week, Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin said that “at the international level it should above all be the U.N. that manages these crisis situations.” The Trump administration responded Wednesday, rejecting concerns raised by the Vatican.
A central focus of the Board’s deliberations was the formation of an armed multinational force tasked with maintaining order in Gaza and ensuring the disarmament of Hamas, a key Israeli demand and a central element of the ceasefire agreement.
Hamas has offered little indication that it is prepared to relinquish its weapons. A U.S. official, speaking anonymously because they were not authorized to comment publicly, said the administration is “under no illusions on the challenges regarding demilitarization” but has drawn some encouragement from reports by mediators.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio underscored the scale of the task ahead in remarks to the assembly.
“We have a long ways to go,” Rubio said. “There’s a lot of work that remains that will require the contribution of every nation state represented here today.”
Iran has formally petitioned the United Nations, accusing the United States of issuing unlawful threats of force, as President Donald Trump considers potential military action if nuclear negotiations fail.
In an urgent letter sent Thursday to the UN Security Council and the UN Secretary-General, the Islamic Republic condemned what it described as the “persistent threat of the use of force” by Washington. The message was submitted by Iran’s Ambassador to the United Nations, Amir Saeid Iravani, and focused on recent public remarks by President Trump regarding possible strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities.
Iravani said he wished to draw “urgent attention” to “the continued threats by officials of the United States to resort to the use of force, including the recent public statement by the President of the United States concerning the use of the Diego Garcia base in connection with a potential military attack against the Islamic Republic of Iran.” He argued that such statements “constitute a flagrant violation of the Charter of the United Nations and international law and risk plunging the region into a new cycle of crisis and instability.”
The complaint referenced a February 18, 2026, social media post in which Trump allegedly made an “explicit public threat.” According to the letter, the President wrote, “… Should Iran decide not to make a deal, it may be necessary for the United States to use Diego Garcia, and the Airfield located in Fairford, in order to eradicate a potential attack ….”
Iravani cautioned that the rhetoric, coupled with what he described as the “persistent movement and build-up of military equipment and assets by the United States,” points to a “real risk of military aggression.” He warned that any such move “would be catastrophic for the region and would constitute a grave threat to international peace and security.”
Despite longstanding tensions over its nuclear activities, Iran maintained in the letter that it “remains fully committed to the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations and to diplomatic solutions.” The ambassador said Tehran has taken part in negotiations “with a view to clearly conveying its concerns and demanding the full and verifiable lifting of the unlawful and inhumane unilateral coercive measures (UCMs) imposed against the Iranian nation.”
The communication further stated that Iran is seeking a “mutually acceptable, results-oriented solution fully consistent with the recognized inalienable rights of all States parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT).” Iravani added that “should the United States likewise approach these talks with seriousness and sincerity and demonstrate genuine respect for the principles of the Charter of the United Nations and the peremptory norms of international law, the achievement of a durable and balanced solution would be entirely possible.”
Tehran called on the Security Council to “ensure that the United States immediately ceases its unlawful threats of the use of force” and to prevent steps that might “escalate tensions or lead to a military confrontation.” The letter stressed that “the Security Council and the Secretary-General must act without delay, before it is too late.”
While stating that Iran “neither seeks tension nor war,” the ambassador concluded with a warning that the country would respond if attacked.
“However, in the event that it is subjected to military aggression, Iran will respond decisively and proportionately in the exercise of its inherent right of self-defence under Article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations. In such circumstances, all bases, facilities, and assets of the hostile force in the region would constitute legitimate targets in the context of Iran’s defensive response. The United States would bear full and direct responsibility for any unpredictable and uncontrolled consequences,” he wrote.
The diplomatic exchange comes as Washington and Tehran continue talks over Iran’s nuclear program, even as Trump keeps military options on the table should negotiations collapse.
The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday that the President is considering a limited initial strike aimed at pressuring Iran to agree to his terms for a nuclear deal. Such an operation, according to the report, would be intended to compel compliance without escalating into a full-scale assault that could trigger major retaliation.
Earlier in the day, Trump cautioned that Iran must finalize an agreement over its nuclear program or “bad things” would follow. He said discussions were progressing positively but insisted Tehran must agree to a “meaningful” deal.
“Now, we may have to take it a step further – or we may not. Maybe we’re going to make a deal. You’re going to be finding out over the next, probably 10 days,” Trump added.
CBS News reported Wednesday that senior national security officials have informed Trump that U.S. forces are ready to carry out potential strikes against Iran as soon as Saturday. However, individuals familiar with the discussions told CBS that any action is more likely to occur after the weekend rather than immediately.
Meanwhile, a U.S. administration source quoted by The Telegraph said there is now a 90 percent likelihood of war in the coming weeks. An Israeli former intelligence chief cited in the same report said he believes a strike could take place within days.
Former Israeli prime minister Naftali Bennett sharply criticized conservative commentator Tucker Carlson after Carlson’s short trip to Israel, accusing him of spreading falsehoods and branding him “a chicken [garbage]” who has been “spouting lies about Israel.”
In a post on X, Bennett charged that Carlson had misrepresented both his visit and his interactions in the country, claiming the media figure was attempting to create a misleading narrative about what transpired.
Bennett wrote that Carlson, “who’s been spouting lies about Israel for the past two years…took a quick picture” at Ben Gurion Airport’s logistics zone after landing, then posted the image on X and promptly departed the country, so that the personality could “later claim that he’s a serious reporter who toured Israel.”
He went on to assert that Carlson “didn’t even step foot in the country” yet “made up a story that he’s being supposedly harassed by our security.”
Bennett added that Carlson “whined” about his experience before flying out of Israel on his private aircraft.
“Next time he talks about Israel as if he’s some expert, just remember this guy is a phony!” Bennett concluded.
Carlson had reportedly come to Israel to meet with U.S. Ambassador Mike Huckabee, with plans to discuss the status of Christians in Israel and across the broader Middle East.
The discussion between Carlson and Huckabee took place inside the Ben Gurion Airport complex, and Carlson did not travel beyond airport grounds. He left the country at approximately 3 p.m., concluding a stay that lasted only several hours.
The rapid arrival and departure came after a public exchange between the two former Fox News personalities. Earlier in February, Carlson released an episode filmed at the Jordan River baptism site titled “Christian Persecution.” Carlson has on multiple occasions claimed that Israel discriminates against its Christian community and has argued that American Christians are, through U.S. assistance, unknowingly supporting such treatment.
