A Gallup poll finds that only 37% of American adults believe some UFO sightings are alien spacecraft, while 49% attribute them to human activity or natural phenomena. The percentage of Americans who think UFOs have an earthly explanation has decreased from 60% in 2019 to 49%. Meanwhile, nearly eight in 10 Americans (78%) believe the US government knows more about UFOs than it has disclosed. The release of Pentagon files on UFOs by the Trump administration may be contributing to increased uncertainty among the public.
Written by the local model on 2026-08-26,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
A new Gallup poll shows that 40% of Americans think UFOs are alien spacecraft, while 49% believe they have an earthly explanation, such as human activity or natural phenomena. The number of people who believe in alien spacecraft is actually lower now than it was in 2019, when 60% held this view. However, more people are now unsure about what UFOs are, and some credit the release of Pentagon files on UFOs by the Trump administration with adding to their uncertainty. Meanwhile, a large majority of Americans - 78% - believe that the US government knows more about UFOs than it has told the public, suggesting widespread distrust in the government's transparency on this issue.
Written for “Belief in Alien Lifeforms” on 2026-08-31,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
The article's own words the score was based on. Each is quoted
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Leaning score -0.35 for article 2527 (high confidence, 1 verified quote) · logged 2026-08-27
Americans are more likely to believe that UFOs have an earthly explanation than to think they are spaceships from another planet, according to new polling from Gallup.
uncertain
they → believe → Gallup
Forty-nine percent of US adults believe sightings of UFOs are tied back to human activity or natural phenomena — fewer than in 2019, when 60% said the same.
asserted
% → believe → same
But in that time, the percentage who believe at least some UFOs are alien spacecraft (37%) hasn’t risen much; more Americans have just become unsure.
asserted
Americans → believe → time
The Trump administration has been releasing Pentagon files on UFOs, which could be adding to that uncertainty.
uncertain
which → release → uncertainty
Most Americans are, at least, convinced that Washington is hiding something: Nearly eight in 10 believe the US government knows more about UFOs than it has told the public.
asserted
it → convince → public
