White House Press Secretary Evades Questions About Trump's Alleged Alien Speech
During a press briefing on Wednesday, White House press secretary Karine Leavitt faced pointed questions about whether President Donald Trump believes in extraterrestrial life. The inquiry came after Lara Trump, the president's daughter-in-law, revealed that the 79-year-old leader reportedly has a prepared speech on the subject waiting for the right moment to deliver.
Journalist Presses White House on Alien Claims
Newsmax reporter Mike Carter directly asked Leavitt about former President Barack Obama's recent comments on aliens being "real" and Lara Trump's revelation about her father-in-law's alleged prepared speech. "President Barack Obama was recently asked if aliens are real. He says they're real, but he hasn't seen them," Carter stated. "President's daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, told Miranda Devine of the New York Post that the president has a prepared speech on this issue that he plans to deliver at the right time. Is that true, and does the Trump administration believe aliens are real?"
Leavitt's Cautious Response
Leavitt responded with careful diplomacy, stating that any such speech would be personally exciting to her, the reporters present, and even former President Obama. However, she emphasized she would need to consult with the speechwriting team for confirmation. "Well, a speech on aliens would be news to me. That sounds very exciting though. I'll have to check in with our speechwriting team," Leavitt said. "And that would be of great interest to me personally, and I'm sure all of you in this room, and apparently former President Obama too. So we'll keep you posted on that."
Lara Trump's Podcast Revelation
The controversy stems from Lara Trump's appearance on The New York Post's Pod Force One podcast, hosted by Miranda Devine. During the episode published Wednesday, the wife of Eric Trump (the president's third child) suggested her father-in-law had something prepared about extraterrestrial life but was waiting for the appropriate moment to reveal it.
"What's kind of funny is we've kind of asked my father-in-law about this cause we're like, 'Well, what do you know?...'" Lara Trump recounted. She added that when she and her husband pressed Trump on the topic, he remained somewhat evasive and "played a little coy."
"I have just heard kind of around that he's actually said, my father-in-law has actually said it, that there is some speech that he has, that I guess at the right time...I don't know what the right time is...that he is going to break out and talk about, and it has to do with maybe some sort of extraterrestrial life, so to speak," Lara Trump explained.
Barack Obama's Viral Comments
Lara Trump's buzz-making claim follows similar viral comments from former President Barack Obama. During a recent appearance on Brian Tyler Cohen's podcast, No Lie, Obama was asked if aliens were "real" and responded positively. "They're real, but I haven't seen them, and they're not being kept in, what is it? There's no underground facility, unless there's this enormous conspiracy and they hid it from the president of the United States," Obama stated.
While Obama later clarified that his answer was made in the "spirit of the speed round" and he saw "no evidence" of extraterrestrials during his presidency, he also noted that "statistically" the "odds are good."
Broader Context of Alien Conspiracy Theories
The renewed discussion about extraterrestrial life occurs against a backdrop of longstanding conspiracy theories and government secrecy:
- Area 51: The secretive military installation in southern Nevada has been surrounded for decades by speculation about hiding evidence of alien life.
- Documentary Claims: The secretly made documentary 'The Age of Disclosure,' directed by Dan Farah, has amplified conspiracy theories by claiming an 80-year global cover-up of non-human intelligence.
- Marco Rubio's Statements: In the trailer for the documentary, Secretary of State and Trump ally Marco Rubio claimed unidentified flying objects (UFOs) have been spotted over restricted US nuclear facilities, with information so classified that even presidents are notified on a need-to-know basis.
Rubio stated in the clip: "There had been reports of something operating in the airspace over restricted nuclear facilities" that wasn't American-made. He added that this intelligence "keeps me up at night," and whistleblowers are putting their lives on the line by coming forward.
The White House's non-committal response to questions about Trump's alleged alien speech leaves the matter unresolved, fueling further speculation about what the administration might know about extraterrestrial phenomena and when—or if—the president might address the topic publicly.
