President Donald Trump stated Friday at Turning Point USA's Action Conference in Phoenix, Arizona, that the first batch of government files on unidentified flying objects and unexplained aerial phenomena will be released very soon.

Trump addressed a crowd at Dream City Church, saying he recently directed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, whom he jokingly called the "Secretary of War," to begin releasing the files. "This process was well underway, and we’ve found many interesting documents, I must say, and the first releases will begin very, very soon," Trump said. He added that he chose the event for the announcement because the audience was "really into that" and "a little bit out there."

The comments follow Trump's February 19 announcement on Truth Social, where he ordered Hegseth and other agencies to identify and declassify records related to "alien and extraterrestrial life, unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP), and unidentified flying objects (UFOs)" and associated information. Trump cited "tremendous interest" sparked by former President Barack Obama's recent podcast remarks suggesting aliens exist, though Obama clarified he meant statistical probability in a vast universe without evidence of contact. Trump accused Obama of disclosing classified information and told Fox News he might "get him out of trouble by declassifying."

White House Press Secretary Anna Kelly confirmed the directive, emphasizing transparency. In February, Hegseth said the Pentagon was complying but offered no timeline, noting, "We're digging in." The Office of the Director of National Intelligence echoed that files would be declassified "soon."

Congressional Republicans have pushed for disclosure. Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., recently urged Trump to release the files, arguing they involve government spending on UAPs rather than extraterrestrials. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., announced plans to subpoena 46 classified UAP videos from the Pentagon depicting formations over sensitive areas, expressing confidence in Hegseth's cooperation.

Public fascination with UFOs dates back decades, fueled by military sightings and hearings like the 2023 House Oversight session, where whistleblower David Grusch alleged a secret program to reverse-engineer nonhuman craft,t a claim denied by the Pentagon. Recent developments include the registration of government domains like aliens.gov.

The Department of War has not commented on Friday's remarks. No specific release date has been set, but Trump invited the public to review the documents and decide for themselves.