President Donald Trump said he'd been briefed on Navy pilots reporting increased sightings of unidentified flying objects, adding that he doesn't particularly believe in UFOs.

Speaking with ABC News' George Stephanopoulos in an interview segment released Saturday, Trump raised his eyebrows and grinned incredulously when asked what he made of the reports.

"I want them to think whatever they think," Trump said of the Navy pilots. "I did have one very brief meeting on it. But people are saying they’re seeing UFOs. Do I believe it? Not particularly."

The Navy recently drafted new guidelines for how to report encounters with "unidentified aircraft" in response to reports of sophisticated vessels intruding on Navy strike groups, POLITICO reported in April. Pilots reported seeing objects flying at 30,000 feet with no exhaust plumes and at supersonic speeds, according to The New York Times.

The Pentagon quietly set up a program to research UFOs more than 10 years ago at the direction of Congress. The Advanced Aviation Threat Identification Program was largely pushed by former Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and operated with extremely limited public exposure, though it was not a classified program.

Trump did not seem as eager to act on the reports, telling Stephanopoulos that "we’re going to see."

When asked if Trump would know of any extraterrestrial life, he demurred and said: "I think our great pilots would know. And some of them see things a little bit different from the past. ... We’re watching, and you’ll be the first to know." </s> US President Donald Trump has admitted being briefed about military sightings of unidentified flying objects but does not particularly believe in them

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 15th June, 2019) US President Donald Trump has admitted being briefed about military sightings of unidentified flying objects but does not particularly believe in them.

He was quizzed by ABC news about increasing reports by US Navy pilots who have been seeing strange objects flying at hypersonic speeds.

"They do say [it]. I've seen and I've read and I've heard and I did have one very brief meeting on it.

But people are saying they are seeing UFOs. Do I believe it? Not particularly," he said.

The president added that he thought "our great pilots would know" if there was evidence of extraterrestrial activity but promised to "watch it."

Joseph Gradisher, spokesman for US Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Information Warfare, told the outlet last month they had changed guidelines on how pilots should report such incidents after a rise in sightings in recent years. </s> President Trump said he's been briefed on Navy pilots reported sightings of unidentified flying objects, but remained skeptical of the existence of UFOs.

George Stephanopoulos of ABC News raised the issue during an interview with Trump released Saturday.

PENTAGON FINALLY ADMITS IT INVESTIGATES UFOS

"I was struck in the last few couple of weeks, we're reading more and more reports of Navy pilots seeing lots and lots of UFOs," Stephanopoulos said to a smiling Trump. "Have you been briefed on that? What do you make of it?"

"I want them to think whatever they think," Trump replied, referring to the Navy pilots. "I did have one very brief meeting on it. But people are saying they’re seeing UFOs. Do I believe it? Not particularly."

The Navy recently announced it would update guidelines for how its pilots report "unidentified aircraft" in response to reports of strange sightings. Navy strike group pilots reported seeing strange objects flying above 30,000 feet at hypersonic speeds with no visible engine or infrared exhaust fumes, according to the New York Times.

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The new protocol doesn't mean Navy officials believe in UFOs, but "rather that the strange sightings warrant an investigation and need to be formally documented."

Asked if he knew if there was evidence of extraterrestrial life, Trump said "I think our great pilots would know. And some of them see things a little bit different from the past. We’re watching, and you’ll be the first to know." </s> CLOSE A U.S. Navy F/A-18 Super Hornet encountered this apparent UFO off the East Coast of the United States in 2015. USA TODAY

WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump doesn't seem to be a believer of aliens or UFOs flying through Earth's atmosphere, although he has been briefed on them.

ABC News' George Stephanopoulos, in a wide-ranging interview, asked Trump about recent news reports about Navy pilots spotting flying objects and what he made of the apparent UFO sightings.

"I want them to think whatever they think," Trump said, raising his eyebrows and slightly grinning before adding that he did have "one really brief meeting on it."

"People are saying they're seeing UFOs. Do I believe it? Not particularly," he added.

Stephanopoulos followed up, asking the president whether he thought he'd actually know if the U.S. had any proof of extraterrestrials — a question Trump didn't appear to actually answer directly.

"I think our great pilots would know and some of them really see things that are a little bit different than in the past, so we're gonna see, but we'll watch it," Trump said, following his answer with a promise that Stephanopoulos would "be the first to know" if there was alien life.

Trump's comments followed a number of reports chronicling how the government has examined UFO sightings and a report in the New York Times about Navy pilots reporting bizarre flying objects, including one that looked like a "spinning top" and another with no visible engine that could reach 30,000 feet and hypersonic speeds.

The Times report includes a number of videos filmed by Navy pilots showing the aircraft and the curiosity of the pilots who couldn't figure out what the objects were and how they were so quick, even when they were flying against the wind. But the report makes clear that the Defense Department doesn't believe the objects are from beyond Earth and that an explanation can almost always be found for incidents like these.

Unexplained flying objects have been seen by pilots for decades. In 2017, the Department of Defense released footage from 2004 showing Navy Pilots coming into contact with an unidentified flying object off the San Diego coast.

CLOSE After a number of reports of unauthorized or unidentified aircraft being reported in recent years, the U.S. Navy is updating its UFO protocol. Buzz60, Buzz60

In an interview with the Times, one of the pilots, David Fravor, said mysterious aircraft were being investigated after appearing on radar at 80,000 feet, dropping suddenly to 20,000 feet then hovering there before dropping out of radar or shooting back up in the sky.

Fravor said he went to investigate one of the aircraft, saw it moving erratically then hovering just above the Pacific Ocean. As he got closer to the object, it zipped off.

"It accelerated like nothing I’ve ever seen," he told the Times, adding the incident, which was never explained, left him feeling "pretty weirded out."

Read or Share this story: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2019/06/15/trump-briefed-ufos-but-doesnt-particularly-believe-them/1465077001/ </s> President Donald Trump spoke briefly about his feelings on unidentified flying objects during his interview with ABC’s George Stephanopoulos earlier this week and it doesn’t sound like the commander in chief is much of a believer. In an excerpt from the interview released Saturday morning, Stephanopoulos asked the president about recent reports that Navy pilots have been seeing unidentified objects flying through the sky. “Have you been briefed on that?” Stephanopoulos asked. “What do you make of it?”

An evidently amused Trump didn’t seem too eager to really get into the issue. “I think it’s probably—I want them to think whatever they think,” Trump said. “They do say, and I’ve seen, and I’ve read, and I’ve heard. And I did have one very brief meeting on it. But people are saying they’re seeing UFOs. Do I believe it? Not particular.”

Stephanopoulos went on to ask whether the president thought he would know whether there there was evidence of extraterrestrial life. “Well, I think my great pilots would know. Our great pilots would know,” Trump said. “They see things a little bit different from the past. So we’re gong to see. We’re watching and you’ll be the first to know.”

There has been a lot of talk about UFOs lately after the Navy updated its guidelines to how pilots should report potential sightings considering an increase in the number of reports in recent years. A New York Times story last month reported that Navy pilots had regularly seen UFOs while training over the East Coast in 2014 and 2015. The sightings coincided with an upgrade in radar systems. “There have been a number of reports of unauthorized and/or unidentified aircraft entering various military-controlled ranges and designated air space in recent years,” Joseph Gradisher, spokesperson for Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Information Warfare, said. “For safety and security concerns, the Navy and the [U.S. Air Force] take these reports very seriously and investigate each and every report. </s> American admitted of being sceptical for the existence of UFOs (unidentified flying object), even after he was briefed on its sightings by Navy pilots.

During an interview, American television host, asked Trump regarding the reports of sighting a lot of UFOs.

"I was struck in the last few weeks, we're reading more and more reports of Navy pilots seeing lots and lots of UFOs. Have you been briefed on that? What do you make of it?" Stephanopoulos raised the issue.

To which Trump replied he do not particularly believe in what people are saying regarding seeing the UFOs. "I want them to think whatever they think. I did have one very brief meeting on it. But people are saying they're seeing UFOs. Do I believe it? Not particularly," Trump replied.

On being asked if he knew if there was evidence of extraterrestrial life, Trump said, "I think our great pilots would know. And some of them see things a little bit different from the past. We're watching, and you'll be the first to know."

According to the New York Times, Navy strike pilots saw strange objects at hypersonic speed flying above 30,000 feet. Also, those objects had no visible engine or any exhaust fumes.

Following the matter, navy recently introduced a new protocol, under which the pilots have been updated with a guideline for how the pilots will report about the sighting unidentified aircraft. </s> President Donald Trump said he doesn't particularly believe in unidentified flying objects (UFOs), despite a rise in reports of unidentified aircraft by U.S. Navy pilots.

In an exclusive interview with ABC News Chief Anchor George Stephanopoulos this week, the president was asked what he made of the increased reports.

ABC News

"I think it’s probably -- I want them to think whatever they think. They do say, and I've seen, and I’ve read, and I’ve heard. And I did have one very brief meeting on it. But people are saying they’re seeing UFOs. Do I believe it? Not particular," Trump said.

Asked if he thought he would know if there were a case of extraterrestrial life, the president replied, "Well, I think my great pilots would know. Our great pilots would know."

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"They see things a little bit different from the past. So we’re going to see. We’re watching, and you’ll be the first to know," he continued.

Earlier this year, the Navy updated its guidelines for how its pilots report the sighting of "unauthorized and/or unidentified aircraft" due to an increase in the number of reports in recent years.

"There have been a number of reports of unauthorized and/or unidentified aircraft entering various military-controlled ranges and designated air space in recent years," Joseph Gradisher, spokesperson for Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Information Warfare, told ABC News last month. "For safety and security concerns, the Navy and the [U.S. Air Force] take these reports very seriously and investigate each and every report. As part of this effort, the Navy has updated and formalized the process by which reports of any such suspected incursions can be made to the cognizant authorities."

Gradisher added that senior Naval intelligence officials and aviators "who reported hazards to aviation safety" have briefed congressional members and staff in response to requests for information.

Tune in Sunday at 8 p.m. ET for an hour-long ABC News special, only on ABC — including "ABC News Live," the 24/7 streaming news channel available on abcnews.com, Roku, Hulu, Amazon Fire TV and Apple TV. </s> In the latest segment released of the headline-churning interview between ABC Good Morning America host George Stephanopoulos and Donald Trump, the president said he had been briefed on unidentified flying objects or UFOs. Stephanopoulos said he had been reading a lot about Navy pilots spotting UFOs and wondered if the president had thought about it. “I want them to think whatever they think,” Trump said, raising an eyebrow. “I did have one very brief meeting on it. But people are saying they’re seeing UFOs. Do I believe it? Not particularly.” The ABC newsman then asked if Trump had heard of any reports of extraterrestrial life, the president didn't take the bait. “I think our great pilots would know,” he said. “And some of them see things a little bit different from the past. We’re watching, and you’ll be the first to know.” </s> President Trump may be a fan of some conspiracy theories, but when it comes to UFOs, he’s a skeptic.

“Do I believe it? Not particularly,” Trump told ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos, who asked him what he thought of reports that US Navy pilots have seen more unidentified flying objects recently.

“I think it’s probably — I want them to think whatever they think,” Trump said. “They do say, and I’ve seen, and I’ve read and I’ve heard. And I did have one very brief meeting on it. But people are saying they’re seeing UFOs.

“So we’re going to see. We’re watching, and you’ll be the first to know,” the president added.
U.S. President Donald Trump confirms he has been briefed on a spike of UFO sightings in Earth's atmosphere by United States Navy pilots, saying "people are saying they're seeing UFOs. Do I believe it? Not particularly". The U.S. Navy recently updated its guidelines for how its pilots can report "unidentified aircraft".