Barack Obama Says Aliens Are Real But Not Area 51

Aliens? Area 51? And a former president laughing about it? Yes, that just happened.

During a buzzy new interview with journalist Brian Tyler Cohen, former President Barack Obama casually dropped a line that immediately set the internet on fire.

When Cohen asked him point-blank, “Are aliens real?” Obama didn’t dodge.

“They’re real,” he said.

Cue the collective double take.

But before UFO Twitter could declare victory, Obama quickly poured cold water on one of the biggest conspiracy theories of all time — no, they’re not being hidden at Area 51.

“There’s no underground facility,” he joked, adding that if there were some massive cover-up, it would’ve had to be hidden from the president himself.

The exchange happened during a rapid-fire “lightning round,” and while Obama’s tone was playful, his delivery was confident enough to send social media into overdrive.

And it didn’t stop there.

When Cohen asked what the first question Obama wanted answered when he became president, he didn’t hesitate:

“Where are the aliens?”

Both men burst into laughter — but online, the reaction has been anything but subtle.

Obama’s comments come as Washington ramps up scrutiny of unidentified aerial phenomena (UAPs) — the government’s preferred term for UFOs.

In September 2025, Air Force veteran Dylan Borland testified before Congress that he encountered a mysterious triangular craft hovering above him at Langley Air Force Base in 2012. He described it as silent, fluid-looking, and capable of interfering with electronics.

According to Borland, the Pentagon’s All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) dismissed his claims. He also alleged retaliation that cost him job opportunities and damaged his career.

Lawmakers are demanding answers.

Rep. Anna Paulina Luna has accused the Defense Department of withholding information from Congress and the public. She argued Americans “are not fragile” and deserve transparency.

Rep. Eric Burlison has also pushed for disclosure, citing video footage he claims shows a U.S. drone striking an unidentified orb near Yemen in 2024 — with the object allegedly continuing to fly afterward.

Still, AARO maintains it has found no verified evidence of extraterrestrial activity.

Was he joking? Being philosophical? Or simply entertaining the moment?

Obama has previously acknowledged that there are objects in the sky the government cannot fully explain. But he has never confirmed alien life.

This time, though, the phrasing — “They’re real” — is what has people talking.

For now, there’s no official confirmation of little green visitors. And no secret alien bunker (at least, according to Obama).

But one thing is certain: when a former president casually says “aliens are real,” the internet will not stay calm.

And somewhere out there, someone is definitely rewatching that clip frame by frame.