US President UFO Briefings and their UAP Sightings

Cristina Gomez

Nov 10, 2024

The relationship between United States presidents and UFOs has been a fascinating thread woven through modern U.S. history, beginning notably with President Harry Truman in the aftermath of World War II. The year 1947 marked a pivotal moment in this history, as the infamous Roswell incident coincided with several significant governmental changes under Truman’s administration. You will be surprised by the amount of US presidents that have had their own UFO sightings.

Harry Truman

President Truman’s era saw the establishment of crucial institutions that would shape UFO investigation for decades to come. In response to the increasing reports of mysterious aerial phenomena, Truman created both the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and the National Security Agency (NSA) through the National Security Act of 1947. These organizations would become central to UFO investigation and secrecy. The same year, Truman allegedly established the highly classified MJ-12 group through executive order, specifically tasked with investigating alien spacecraft and related phenomena.

Dwight D. Eisenhower

The UFO phenomenon reached new heights during Dwight D. Eisenhower’s presidency (1953–1961). Perhaps the most controversial claims surround Eisenhower’s alleged meetings with extraterrestrial beings. Reports suggest several secret meetings with aliens, at Holloman Air Force Base and one at Edwards Air Force Base in 1954 at 1955. The latter meeting became particularly notable due to Eisenhower’s mysterious disappearance in Palm Springs, which was officially attributed to an emergency dental visit. According to various accounts, these meetings culminated in a treaty that permitted limited human experimentation in exchange for advanced technology. You can read the more detailed article on Eisenhower here

John F. Kennedy

John F. Kennedy’s brief but significant presidency (1961–1963) marked a compelling chapter in the history of presidential UFO involvement, characterized by his apparent drive toward disclosure and his complex relationship with key UFO researchers. Kennedy’s approach to the UFO phenomenon was notably shaped by his established relationship with Dr. Donald H. Menzel, a Harvard professor and one of the most controversial figures in UFO research. Menzel, who served on the Harvard Board of Overseers with Kennedy, embodied the contradictions of the era — publicly debunking UFO sightings while secretly maintaining high-level security clearances and serving as a CIA consultant specifically on UFO matters. His name would later surface on leaked documents as a member of the classified MJ-12 group, adding another layer of intrigue to his advisory role in Kennedy’s administration.

Through declassified documents, we now know Kennedy actively sought UFO data from the CIA and pursued the possibility of joint space exploration with the Soviet Union, including the sharing of UFO research data. His interest was particularly focused on the national security implications, specifically concerned about UFOs being misidentified as nuclear weapons by either superpower during the height of Cold War tensions. According to various researchers, Kennedy had expressed intentions to go public with UFO information, a plan that never materialized due to his assassination in Dallas in 1963. The timing and nature of these events have led some researchers to suggest that Kennedy’s interest in UFO disclosure may have contributed to his death, though this remains one of the most debated aspects of the Kennedy-UFO connection.

Richard Nixon

Richard Nixon’s presidency (1969–1974) is notable for his connection to television star Jacky Gleason, an avid UFO enthusiast. According to Gleason’s ex-wife which was documented in the book The Presidents and UFOs: A Secret History from FDR to Obama by Larry Halcombe, Nixon personally escorted Gleason to an Air Force base where he was shown a crashed UFO and alien bodies. While this account remains unverified, Gleason notably never denied it, despite his displeasure at his ex-wife making the story public.

Jimmy Carter

Jimmy Carter’s relationship with the UFO phenomenon stands unique among presidents, as he remains the only U.S. president to formally file a UFO report before taking office. His encounter occurred in 1969 in Leary, Georgia, while serving as governor, and the details of this sighting would later become a matter of significant public interest. According to Carter’s official report, filed in 1973 the incident took place after sundown as he and approximately twenty other witnesses stood outside what he believed was a high school lunchroom. The group observed a strange green light appear in the western sky, which gradually increased in brightness before ultimately vanishing. Carter specifically noted that the object lacked any “solid substance,” describing it instead as a “very peculiar looking light” that defied conventional explanation.

When Carter ran for president in 1976, he campaigned on a promise of governmental transparency regarding UFOs, pledging to release all UFO information to the public. However, once in office (1977–1981), his perspective appeared to shift dramatically after receiving official briefings on the subject. According to researcher Richard Dolan, who interviewed a witness present after Carter’s UFO briefing, the president was observed with his head in his hands, releasing a profound sigh that suggested deep distress or concern. While some accounts suggest Carter was moved to tears by the briefing, Dolan’s source indicated it was more a display of overwhelming stress or anxiety. Despite his pre-presidential commitment to disclosure, Carter’s administration ultimately maintained the status quo of UFO secrecy, joining the pattern of presidents who found themselves either unable or unwilling to share classified UFO information with the public.

Ronald Reagan

Ronald Reagan’s interactions with the UFO phenomenon were particularly remarkable, featuring multiple well-documented encounters and an unprecedented willingness to discuss extraterrestrial possibilities in public forums. His most famous sighting occurred in 1974 while serving as Governor of California, when he and his pilot Bill Painter, along with two security guards, witnessed an extraordinary aerial display while flying to Bakersfield. According to Reagan’s own account, documented at 12:31 PM on November 7th, they observed a brilliant white light trailing their aircraft at approximately several hundred yards distance. The object demonstrated capabilities far beyond conventional aircraft, suddenly accelerating, changing shape by elongating, and then dramatically ascending at a 45-degree angle before vanishing into the atmosphere. This wasn’t Reagan’s only close encounter; another notable incident occurred when he and Nancy Reagan were driving their blue Mustang convertible along Pacific Coast Highway near Malibu en route to a Hollywood party at Lucille Ball’s residence. During this encounter, they witnessed what appeared to be a craft emerging from the ocean, illuminated by the setting sun. The object reportedly surfaced multiple times before accelerating straight up into the sky. Upon arriving at the party, the Reagans immediately shared their experience with the assembled guests and press, though Reagan later became more reserved about discussing the incident publicly.

These personal experiences appeared to profoundly influence his presidency, as evidenced by his repeated references to extraterrestrial possibilities in major speeches. In fact, Reagan mentioned the potential of an alien threat unifying humanity in several different speeches throughout his presidency, often adding these references to his prepared remarks in his own handwriting against his speechwriters’ original drafts. What makes these additions particularly significant is that they weren’t one-off comments but rather a consistent theme he returned to multiple times, suggesting a deeper conviction about the reality of extraterrestrial presence. Most notably, he raised this topic at the United Nations and in other high-profile diplomatic settings, becoming the first president to consistently and publicly speculate about the implications of extraterrestrial contact for human civilization.

Bill Clinton

Bill Clinton’s presidency marked one of the most proactive official investigations into UFO phenomena, particularly regarding Area 51, and his interest later extended into Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign. During his time in office, Bill Clinton, alongside his Chief of Staff John Podesta, made unprecedented efforts to penetrate the secrecy surrounding UFOs and Area 51. Clinton specifically directed his National Security Advisor, Sandy Berger, to investigate Area 51, stating, “We got to find out how we’re going to deal with this,” referring to both alien-related rumors and the facility’s role in developing stealth technology. This interest in Area 51 was particularly notable because, at the time, the facility’s existence wasn’t officially acknowledged, making Clinton’s inquiries all the more remarkable. He openly admitted to making multiple attempts to uncover information about Roswell, sending investigators to Area 51 to “make sure there were no aliens.” Clinton’s fascination with the subject was evident in his public statements about Area 51, where he speculated that the facility’s extreme secrecy might be related to “invisibility research” and advanced aircraft development that could evade radar detection.

The Clinton administration’s interest in UFOs didn’t end with Bill’s presidency; it carried forward into Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign, where she made UFO disclosure a surprising campaign issue. During a crucial moment in her campaign, while in Connecticut, Hillary made headlines by declaring her intention to release all UFO-related information if elected president. She specifically stated in an interview near a refrigerator in a break room, which became widely reported, that she would reveal everything about UAPs if elected. This marked the first time a major presidential candidate had made UFO disclosure such a significant campaign issue, though some analysts suggested it might have been a strategic move to capture public interest rather than a genuine commitment to disclosure.

Barack Obama

Barack Obama confirmed the existence of unexplained aerial footage and acknowledged that there are objects in the skies that defy conventional explanation. Donald Trump, while expressing skepticism, acknowledged receiving briefings on the subject and confirmed discussions with pilots who had encountered unexplained phenomena.

Throughout this history, a clear pattern emerges: presidential candidates often promise UFO disclosure during their campaigns, but once in office, they appear either unable or unwilling to fulfill these promises. This consistent pattern suggests that the UFO phenomenon involves national security implications that extend beyond any single administration’s authority to disclose.

But with the new elected President Donald Trump — will he be the UFO disclosure president? Read the full article on Trump’s stance on UFOs and UFO events that happened during his presidency here.

Could Donald Trump be the UFO UAP Disclosure President ? Watch here