Could the US Government Ever Say Aliens Are Real?
Could the US government officially say aliens exist by December 31? Forecasters on an online prediction market put that at about 2 percent this week.
The bar is high. A top official or federal agency would need to say flatly that extraterrestrial life or technology exists. Sightings and open questions wouldn't count.
Why now? In February, Trump directed agencies to start releasing files on aliens and UFOs, after Barack Obama suggested on a podcast that aliens are real. In May, the Pentagon began posting declassified files, with more promised.
Then, in a 60 Minutes interview broadcast Sunday, Trump said he is "not too much of a believer." But he described Air Force pilots telling him about a round object that flew three times faster than an F-22.
The key distinction is simple. Unexplained is not the same as alien. Of 319 new sightings in the latest Pentagon report, 114 were explained as ordinary things like balloons and satellites. The rest remain open.
The other side is that Congress is pushing harder. Senator Mike Rounds has pledged to revive a disclosure bill that would protect whistleblowers. Still, the latest Pentagon review found no cases pointing to advanced technology.
Watch for more files, and any hearing before year's end. They may show how far officials are willing to go, even if they don't settle the question.
