President Donald Trump said Air Force pilots told him they encountered a mysterious, round object traveling at three times the speed of an F-22 fighter jet, describing an unexplained sighting that he said took place during their military flights. Trump discussed the account during an interview with CBS correspondent Ross Douthat that aired Sunday on 60 Minutes.

Trump said he met with experienced Air Force pilots in the Oval Office during his first term and part of his second term. According to the president, the pilots described unusual objects they had encountered while flying and told him that something unexplained appeared to be operating in the skies.

In one account, Trump said pilots flying an F-22, one of the U.S. military's most advanced fighter jets, watched a round object pass their aircraft at approximately three times its speed. He emphasized that the object was not aerodynamic, making its reported speed and shape particularly unusual. Trump did not identify the pilots or specify when or where the encounter occurred.

Although Trump called the pilots credible and said their accounts were strange, he described himself as "not too much of a believer" when asked whether he thought unidentified flying objects represented something beyond conventional explanations.

The interview also addressed allegations from individuals identifying themselves as whistleblowers, who claim the federal government operates a secret program to study unidentified flying objects that could remain hidden even from the president. Douthat asked whether Trump had seen evidence supporting those claims.

Trump said he had not heard of such a program but promised to look into the matter, stating, "If there is, I'm gonna find out about it right after this interview." He did not confirm that the program exists or provide evidence supporting the allegations.

The discussion comes as the administration continues releasing previously classified government records concerning unidentified aerial phenomena, commonly known as UFOs or UAPs. However, Trump's account of the F-22 encounter and the allegations of a secret research program remain unverified