Former President Barack Obama had to go online to clarify some viral comments he made about extraterrestrials after he accidentally sent the internet into a frenzy. He had taken part in a quick-fire interview where he gave a one-word answer about whether aliens exist, and people went wild. He posted a clarification, explaining his actual stance and making clear he had not seen any aliens hiding in the White House.
The whole thing started during an interview released on Saturday. Media personality Brian Tyler Cohen asked the former president directly if aliens were real. Obama gave a quick affirmative answer, but added a key caveat about the famous conspiracy location.
“They’re real, but I haven’t seen them, and they’re not being kept in – what is it -” Obama said, according to The Hill, prompting Cohen to respond with, “Area 51?” Obama then confirmed the facility had no space visitors. He added, “There’s no underground facility. Unless, there’s this enormous conspiracy, and they hid it from the president of the United States.”
Obama has addressed the alien question before, and his answers have been consistently skeptical
This is not the first time Obama has had to address the alien question. He told a late-night show host back in 2021 that asking about aliens was one of the first things he did when he took office. He remembered asking his staff, “All right, is there a lab somewhere where we’re keeping the alien specimens and spaceship?” His staff came back with a simple “no.” Obama has been quite vocal in the political space recently, and he has also criticized establishment Democrats for being out of touch with ordinary people.
Because his initial “they’re real” comment got so much attention online, Obama posted a follow-up to slow things down. He explained that he was trying to keep up with the pace of the interview when he gave the short answer. “I was trying to stick with the spirit of the speed round, but since it’s gotten attention let me clarify,” he wrote.
Barack Obama clarifies his comment about aliens being real. pic.twitter.com/XLr9iuOh2A
— No Jumper (@nojumper) February 16, 2026
He then made a statistical argument, pointing out that the universe is so vast that the odds are good there is life out there somewhere. However, he also noted that the distances between solar systems are incredibly large, meaning the chances “we’ve been visited by aliens is low.”
Barack Obama on aliens: “They’re real”
— UAP James (@UAPJames) February 14, 2026
“But I haven’t seen them. They’re not being kept 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.” pic.twitter.com/c6t0DYxewU
Beyond the alien debate, Obama has also been active in domestic politics, where he attacked a Trump-backed political rival who had not yet received an official presidential endorsement. He ended his clarification with a firm statement about his time in office.
“I saw no evidence during my presidency that extraterrestrials have made contact with us. Really!” he added. The “Really!” at the end of his post shows he is well aware of how skeptical the public is, and how much people want to believe in an Area 51 cover-up.
