​Trump orders alien and UFO files released citing 'tremendous' public interest

In a bonkers Truth Social post sure to send conspiracy theorists into overdrive, President Donald Trump announced Thursday that he's ordering the Pentagon and other government agencies to begin identifying and releasing classified files on extraterrestrial life and UFOs.

"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 posted.

For decades, UFO enthusiasts have demanded access to classified government documents on possible extraterrestrial encounters and unidentified aerial phenomena.

The post comes amid renewed public interest in UFO sightings and government acknowledgment of unidentified aerial phenomena in recent years, including military pilot accounts of encounters with unexplained objects.