Trump posts AI alien pic after wild UFO claims made without proof
US President Donald Trump has caused a stir by posting an AI image of himself with an ‘alien’ after the release of government UFO files, despite no real proof that aliens have ever been found
READING LEVEL: ORANGE
Whether you believe in aliens or not, there is certainly plenty of unexplained phenomena* running wild across US headlines right now.
US President Donald Trump has dropped jaws around the world yet again with a new AI* image, this time showing him with an alien figure in chains on a military base.
The social media post came after the US government recently released a large number of UFO files to the public.
The extraterrestrial* pic was part of an AI image posting spree by the president — including another of him firing multiple high-powered lasers at Earth from an orbital* battle station.
The US President has become well known for sharing random AI pictures of himself on his favourite social media platform. He even has his own trading card set of himself variously reimagined as a superhero, astronaut and more.
Mr Trump also has a history of participating in popular conspiracy theories*, seemingly for his own amusement, often sharing AI generated images created by others on social media. Ironically, sharing such images with his followers helps spread misinformation*, disinformation* and fake news* – practices he frequently criticises.
In Mr Trump’s case, these effects are amplified* because of his position and renown as a public figure and leader of the world’s most powerful democracy.
But despite the latest images, Mr Trump has shown scepticism about UFO mania in the past, and his White House has pushed for transparency* on the matter.
“People are saying they’re seeing UFOs. Do I believe it? Not particular[ly],” Mr Trump told America’s ABC News back in 2019.
Despite those doubts, Mr Trump issued an order back in February directing the Pentagon to release files on UFOs after former President Barack Obama caused a stir by claiming aliens were “real.” However, Obama later clarified he had never seen proof of aliens on Earth.
Earlier this month, the Department of War disclosed some 162 files on sightings of UFOs going back 80 years.
One of those files included famed astronaut Buzz Aldrin* describing a “fairly bright light source” on the moon while he was on Apollo 11*.
“Whereas previous administrations have failed to be transparent on this subject, with these new documents and videos, the people can decide for themselves. Have fun and enjoy!” Mr Trump declared on social media when the UFO files were released.
Another post showed an image branded “Space Force”, showing Mr Trump pushing a giant red button from some sort of space battle station. Then massive lasers fired upon Earth.
Mr Trump’s latest head-scratchers come as a former CIA-funded government researcher made an incredible yet completely unsubstantiated* claim about alien discoveries.
Former Advanced Aerospace Weapon System Applications Program (AAWSAP) adviser and CIA-funded researcher Dr Hal Puthoff said the US had recovered four distinct species of extraterrestrial life from crashed UFOs.
However, Dr Puthoff said he had not himself seen any evidence of these so-called extraterrestrial discoveries. Rather, the 89-year-old ex-researcher had only heard this claim being made from other people and “believed them.”
“People who have been involved in recoveries have said there are at least four types. Four separate types,” Dr Puthoff said.
“Now, I have not had direct access to that but I believe the people who I talked to.”
Dr Puthoff did not provide any details around the different types of life forms that were alleged to have been discovered.
Last year, Dr Puthoff’s long term collaborator and former AAWSAP colleague Dr Eric Davis also claimed there were four different types of life forms, pulled from the wreckage of downed or crashed UFOs. He described them as Grays, Nordics, Insectoids, and Reptilians.
Dr Davis claimed that each alien species had two arms and legs and a humanoid* appearance.
Both the Reptilians and the Nordics were human-sized, roughly 6 feet (1.8m) tall, Dr Davis said at a UAP Disclosure Fund meeting in 2025, which was attended by Representative Nancy Mace, Representative Anna Paulina Luna and Representative Eric Burlison.
The UAP Disclosure Fund is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to advancing the understanding of UAP, including improving government transparency around UAPs and supporting whistleblowers*. The fund holds regular congressional hearings* on UAP transparency.
However, despite the claims made by Dr Davis in 2025, no clear evidence has been provided to prove that any of these species actually exist or that any of these crash site operations occurred.
Alien believers have many theories around what each of the four so-called extraterrestrial species could look like.
Some seem to think that Nordics are a race of highly human-like creatures who, despite coming from a far-flung planet, closely resemble people of northern Europe here on planet Earth.
Reptilians, on the other hand, are thought of as being scaly skinned lizard-like creatures with human limbs and long tails, who walk upright.
Grays have often been described as small, massive-eyed, hairless creatures – the sort of aliens we often see classically depicted in fictional films made up by humans.
Insectoids are believed to look like bug-like humanoids.
Former Air Force Intelligence officer and UAP Task Force member David Grusch testified under oath in Congress in 2023 that the US was in possession of “non-human biologies*” recovered from dozens of crashed UFOs.
However, Mr Grusch’s claims, like those of Dr Puthoff and Dr Davis, remain unsubstantiated. Mr Grusch said his testimony was based on the stories he was told by other people, and not based on any first-hand evidence or his own eyewitness account.
If “the truth is out there”, it’s got a pretty good hiding place in America.
POLL
GLOSSARY
- unexplained phenomena: strange occurrence that don’t have a logical explanation
- AI: Artificial Intelligence, computer programs that can perform tasks, including the creation of content, based on identifying patterns, analysing data and making decisions that were traditionally seen as requiring human intelligence
- extraterrestrial: something that comes from outside planet Earth
- orbital: in orbit of Earth
- conspiracy theories: beliefs that complex events have been secretly orchestrated by a powerful and often sinister group of people
- misinformation: false or inaccurate information that is spread by mistake
- disinformation: false or misleading information spread deliberately created and spread with the intention to deceive, manipulate or cause harm
- fake news: false or misleading information presented as news usually designed to deceive readers and push an agenda
- amplified: increased the coverage, made the message stronger
- transparency: openness and honesty about what the government has discovered
- Buzz Aldrin: a former astronaut and the second man to walk on the moon
- Apollo 11: the American spaceflight that first landed humans on the moon
- unsubstantiated: not proven by evidence
- humanoid: resembling a human in form or features
- whistleblowers: people that have come out and revealed secret government information
- congressional hearings: formal meetings held by US Congress to gather information and conduct investigations
- biologies: living organisms
EXTRA READING
Space find excites ET believers
New UFO report lands
Claims US collected UFOs in secret program
QUICK QUIZ
1. What was President Trump doing in the AI photo he posted that featured an alien?
2. How many files on UFO sightings did the US government release?
3. How many alien species did Dr Eric Davis describe to a UAP Disclosure Fund meeting in 2025?
4. What is lacking about the claims made by Dr Davis, Mr Grusch and Dr Puthoff?
5. What has been President Trump’s stance on UFO sightings?
LISTEN TO THIS STORY
CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
1. How to spot a fake
With all these concerning AI fake images being shared by people as influential as Donald Trump, what do we need to look for to determine if an image is real or fake?
Work with a partner and create a checklist of how to spot fake or AI images online. Use your current knowledge, information from the article or further research.
How to spot fake or AI images online:
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Time: allow 20 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English, Digital Technologies, Ethical, Personal and Social, Critical and Creative Thinking
2. Extension
What do you think about the claims of Aliens existing?
Write down some statements in support, and those with not enough evidence from the Kids News article.
Supporting Alien Existence:
Not enough evidence:
Time: allow 15 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English, Science, Personal and Social, Critical and Creative Thinking
VCOP ACTIVITY
Oral Language / Openers – “Newsreader Challenge”
Time: 5–8 minutes
I can goal: I can read aloud with expression to engage an audience.
Activity:
Choose two short sections from the article.
Students practise reading a section aloud in the style of a TV newsreader — clear pace, expression, and emphasis on key words.
In pairs, one reads while the other listens for expression, clarity, and confidence.
Swap roles.
Invite a few volunteers to be the “KidsNews Readers of the Day.”