Obama Tells Colbert U.S. Government Isn't Hiding Aliens

Former President Barack Obama, 64, who served as the 44th President of the United States from 2009 to 2017, appeared on CBS's "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" on May 5, 2026, to address viral comments he made earlier this year about extraterrestrial life. During the interview, which was taped at the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago, Obama clarified that while he believes alien life likely exists somewhere in the universe based on statistical probability, the United States government is not concealing evidence of extraterrestrial visitors from the American public.

The Details

The conversation with Colbert, 61, centered on remarks Obama made in February 2026 during an interview with podcaster Brian Tyler Cohen for an episode of the "No Lie" podcast. During that conversation, Obama told Cohen that "aliens are real, but I haven't seen them." The comment quickly circulated widely across the internet, generating substantial discussion on social media platforms and fueling renewed speculation among UFO enthusiasts and conspiracy theorists that the federal government might be concealing evidence of extraterrestrial contact or encounters with alien spacecraft.

On "The Late Show," Obama explained that his February remark was intended to convey the mathematical likelihood that life exists somewhere in the vast universe, not that the United States government has directly encountered aliens or is actively hiding proof of such encounters from the American people. He sought to distance his original comment from persistent conspiracy theories suggesting that federal authorities maintain secret underground facilities containing extraterrestrial evidence.

Obama directly addressed those who believe the government is covering up proof of alien life. "For those of you who still think that we've got little green men underground somewhere, one of the things you learn as president is the government is terrible at keeping secrets," he said during the taped interview at the presidential center. He elaborated on this point by arguing that if the United States government genuinely possessed photographs, physical specimens, spacecraft debris, or other documentation of aliens or alien spacecraft, the information would have inevitably become public through unauthorized disclosures by government employees. "I promise you some guy guarding the installation would have taken a selfie with one of the aliens and sent it to his girlfriend to impress her. There would be leaks," Obama told Colbert.

Despite expressing firm skepticism about government cover-ups, Obama said he genuinely hopes that alien life is real somewhere in the universe. He also humorously volunteered his own services as humanity's representative in the hypothetical event that Earth makes first contact with extraterrestrial beings. "First contact, I think I would be a good emissary for the planet," Obama said. "I've got some experience at statecraft and diplomacy. I'm friendly. So I actually think I could do a pretty good job. But it hasn't happened yet."

The interview also touched on current events related to government transparency regarding unidentified aerial phenomena. President Trump stated last week that the Pentagon is actively preparing to release what he described as "very interesting" UFO files. In April 2026, Trump publicly said that "the first [UFO] releases will begin very, very soon." Additionally, the discussion connected to Steven Spielberg's upcoming film "Disclosure Day," which chronicles humanity's collective reaction to the discovery that Earth is not alone in the universe.

Beyond the topic of extraterrestrial life and unidentified flying objects, Obama also took an indirect swipe at Trump when Colbert asked him about presidential powers that should be limited or restrained. "You can't have a situation in which whoever is in charge of the government starts using that to go after their political enemies or reward their friends," Obama said. "The second thing is our military. Don't politicize our military." Obama is currently promoting the upcoming opening of the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago.

Context

Obama's February 2026 remarks on the "No Lie" podcast with Brian Tyler Cohen generated substantial viral interest across social media platforms, news websites, and online discussion forums. The widespread circulation of his "aliens are real" comment prompted the former president to post a clarification on Instagram in April 2026. In that social media post, Obama wrote that "statistically, the universe is so vast that the odds are good there's life out there." However, he also emphasized that the immense distances between solar systems make physical visitation by extraterrestrial beings highly unlikely. He additionally stated that he saw no evidence of extraterrestrial contact during the eight years he spent serving in the White House.

The interview with Colbert was conducted on location at the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago. The presidential center, which Obama is promoting ahead of its scheduled opening, is expected to open to the public in June 2026. The appearance came as Colbert prepares to conclude his long-running tenure as host of CBS's "The Late Show," with the series finale scheduled for broadcast on May 21, 2026.

Trump has previously ordered the release of government records related to the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy, Senator Robert F. Kennedy, and civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. Those document releases, however, reportedly did not reveal significant new information to researchers or the general public.

Reporting on the interview and related developments appeared in The Hollywood Reporter, Entertainment Weekly via AOL syndication, CBS19 News, TV Insider, and The New York Times.

What's Next

Trump has indicated that UFO file releases from the Pentagon will begin soon, though no specific release date has been publicly announced or confirmed. "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" will air its final episode on May 21, 2026. The Obama Presidential Center in Chicago is set to open in June 2026.