In a recent podcast interview with Brian Tyler Cohen, former President Barack Obama sparked controversy by stating, 'I think aliens are real.' This comment led to widespread speculation, prompting Obama to clarify shortly after that he has not seen any evidence of extraterrestrial contact with Earth, emphasizing, 'No evidence aliens have made contact.' He explained that his remarks were made in the spirit of the rapid-fire questioning style of the podcast, which may have contributed to the misunderstanding. In a follow-up statement, he reiterated, 'I have seen no evidence extra-terrestrials have made contact with Earth,' to quell the frenzy that ensued after his initial comments. This clarification was necessary as many interpreted his words as a confirmation of alien existence, leading to discussions across various media platforms about the implications of such a statement (The Guardian, February 16, 2026; The Hindu, February 17, 2026).