Three senators had recently been briefed by the Pentagon on navy encounters with unidentified aircraft, a report said

This article is more than 1 year old

This article is more than 1 year old

UFOs are usually the preserve of science fiction, but lately they have been enjoying a newfound status across the US, infiltrating conversation from Washington to Kansas City.

Donald Trump kicked the latest round off last week when, responding to a question about the rise in reports of unidentified aircraft by US navy pilots, he revealed that he had been briefed on UFO sightings.

“I think it’s probably – I want them to think whatever they think,” the president told ABC News. “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.”

UFO sightings may be falling, but Congress is still paying attention | Nick Pope Read more

Asked if he would be told if extraterrestrial life was found, Trump said: “We’re watching, and you’ll be the first to know.”

Earlier this year, the US navy revised its pilot guidelines on how to document “unauthorised and/or unidentified aircraft”, after a spike in such reports.

On Wednesday, Politico reported that three senators including Mark Warner, vice-chair of the senate intelligence committee, had been given a classified Pentagon briefing about navy encounters with unidentified aircraft.

“If naval pilots are running into unexplained interference in the air, that’s a safety concern Senator Warner believes we need to get to the bottom of,” a spokesperson said.

Interest in unidentified aerial phenomena has been building since 2017, when the Pentagon established a programme dedicated to analysing the subject, interviewing sailors and pilots about their experiences.

KMBC (@kmbc) 2 orbs spotted in Kansas City sky prompt numerous calls to KMBC https://t.co/FjjTZsnq6r pic.twitter.com/Q0D8sa6Wc1

On Thursday, UFO speculation hit Kansas City after several people said two mysterious, white, hazy and elongated “orbs” had appeared above the city’s airport. A local TV station tweeted a series of photographs of the purported mysterious objects.

“We’ve taken several calls in our newsroom about these two orbs spotted in the Kansas City sky tonight,” KMBC said. “This picture was taken near KCI Airport.”

The National Weather Service declared itself flummoxed.

“We honestly have no explanation for the floating objects over Kansas City,” it wrote.