In a long form conversation that covered everything from national intelligence to, well, aliens, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard acknowledged this week that she believes extraterrestrial life is a possibility. Speaking on the New York Post’s Pod Force One podcast, the former congresswoman and current leader of the U.S. intelligence community answered “yes” when asked directly if she believes aliens could be real.
Within the entire podcast the chat about extraterrestrials was brief, but it really showed us more about Gabbard than we’ve learned in years. When asked by host Miranda Devine about beings from beyond the stars, Gabbard played coy about her beliefs in alien lifeforms, saying, “I have my own views and opinions.” However, when she Devine gave her the full court press the DNI finally answered, “yes.”
Gabbard wouldn’t elaborate, citing the sensitive nature of her position and noting that her office would share relevant findings with the public “when the time comes.” Her comments came with the caveat that she and her team are “continuing to look for the truth and share that truth with the American people.”
This isn’t the first time the former Democrat—now serving as President Trump’s top intelligence advisor—has leaned into topics that draw attention from conspiracy-minded corners of the internet. Her willingness to flirt with fringe-adjacent questions comes as public interest in unidentified aerial phenomena (UAPs) has surged, thanks in part to recent congressional hearings and newly declassified military footage.
What made Gabbard’s appearance particularly notable, however, was her reference to the drone sightings reported over New Jersey and other parts of the country late last year. While national security officials under the Biden administration sought to downplay the incidents—describing public concern as “a slight overreaction”—Gabbard made clear that she remains unconvinced.
“I’ve heard what the public official line is,” she said. “I just personally still have a lot of questions that are unanswered.”
On other intelligence matters, Gabbard kept her comments vague. When asked about the suspected Chinese spy balloon that crossed several states in 2023, she said only that “there’s a lot of classified information” and declined to elaborate further. The balloon incident, which ended with its destruction off the coast of South Carolina, has since become a flashpoint in debates over national security readiness.
Gabbard’s remarks, though limited, reflect a broader trend of ambiguity and intrigue surrounding high-level commentary on unexplained aerial events—adding yet another layer to the political theater surrounding her tenure as Director of National Intelligence.
