President Trump said the first releases from a Pentagon study on UFOs will come out “very, very soon.”

Speaking at a rally at Dream City Church in north Phoenix on Friday night hosted by Turning Point USA and Turning Action, Trump told the audience it seemed like the right crowd to hear about the study because Arizonans are “really into that.”

The comments come as interest in unidentified aerial phenomena, or UAPs, continues to grow in Washington, with lawmakers pushing for greater transparency and the Department of Defense expanding efforts to investigate unexplained incidents.

“I figured this was a good crowd because I know you people. You’re really into that. I don’t know if I am,” the president told them.

Donald Trump speaking at a Turning Point USA event from a podium with the Seal of the President of the United States.
President Trump speaks at a Turning Point USA event at Dream City Church, Friday, April 17, 2026, in Phoenix, Arizona. AP

He said he recently spoke with War Secretary Pete Hegseth about releasing the study’s findings to the public before giving the crowd a brief tease of what he saw.

“We found many very interesting documents, I must say,” Trump said. “And the first releases will begin very, very soon. So, you can go out and see if that phenomenon is correct.

“You’ll figure it out. Let me know,” he added. “But we’ve had a lot of questions. It’s something that — it really captivates the mind, there’s no question about it.”

An Area 51 sign in Nevada's Crystal Springs, Basin and Range National Monument.
An “Alien Research Center” sign on the way to Area 51 in Rachel, Nevada. Education Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

Trump said in February he would direct the release of government files related to alien and extraterrestrial life and unidentified aerial phenomena.

The president said at the time there was “tremendous interest” in the topic following remarks from former President Barack Obama, whom Trump said shared classified information suggesting aliens are real.

“Based on the tremendous interest shown, I will be directing the Secretary of War, and other relevant Departments and Agencies, to begin the process of identifying and releasing Government files related to alien and extraterrestrial life, unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP), and unidentified flying objects (UFOs), and any and all other information connected to these highly complex, but extremely interesting and important, matters,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “GOD BLESS AMERICA!”

Interest in UAPs has grown significantly in recent years, attracting increased scrutiny from federal lawmakers and defense officials. 

In 2023, Congress enacted the Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena Disclosure Act, while the Department of Defense created the All-Domain Anomaly Resolution Office to investigate these incidents more thoroughly.