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Trump claims he was briefed on UFOs during his presidency

FILE - Former President Donald Trump speaks during a rally, July 7, 2023, in Council Bluffs, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel, File)

(NewsNation) — In an appearance on “The Hugh Hewitt” podcast, former President Donald Trump said he was briefed on UFOs during his time as president.

Interest in UFOs has increased recently after whistleblower David Grusch claimed the U.S. is operating a secret UFO retrieval program through the Pentagon. The allegations sparked a Congressional hearing on the subject, with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle seeking transparency from the Defense Department.


On the podcast, Hewitt asked Trump about the subject. The former president first tried to brush off the question, noting he was more focused on terrestrial concerns like relations with Russia, China and North Korea.

Trump said he spoke to Air Force service members who said they believed in UFOs and didn’t appear to be “the type of guy that’s going to lie.”

When Hewitt pressed him, Trump did confirm he was briefed on UFOs, but did not specify whether the Air Force personnel were the ones who briefed him. He also didn’t give any more specifics on what the briefing might have said about the nature or origin of UFOs.

Instead, Trump focused on the challenges he faced in running the country while also facing opposition from Democrats.

Trump is not the first president to admit to seeking information on UFOs. Presidents Barack Obama, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush have all admitted to getting briefed on the subject. Clinton even admitted to sending aides to search Area 51. President Jimmy Carter, who also had his own UFO encounter, also said he was briefed on UFOs, reversing a campaign promise to release documents on the subject.

None of the former presidents, however, have disclosed what they might have been told about the unexplained phenomena in the skies.