Obama not planning to release Area 51 files

by Jordan Fabian - 05/11/16 2:56 PM ET

UFO enthusiasts will have to wait for a Hillary Clinton presidency to get more information from the government about the possible existence of aliens from outer space.

The Democratic presidential front-runner has promised to release information about Area 51 — a Nevada Air Force base where many believe the U.S. keeps top secret information about extraterrestrial beings — if she is elected president.

{mosads}But President Obama has no plans to open up government files on the matter, White House press secretary Josh Earnest said Wednesday.

“I have to admit that I don’t have a tab in my briefing book for Area 51,” Earnest said after he was asked whether the president wants to beat Clinton to the punch before he leaves office.

“Because it has been taken out?” one reporter asked.

“Maybe it has,” Earnest joked. “Part of a grand conspiracy.”

The spokesman smiled and said he is “not aware of any plans the president has to make public any information about this,” adding that he’s not sure whether Obama has reviewed any government files on extraterrestrial life forms.

Contrary to Clinton, Obama has frequently joked about UFOs.

Late-night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel asked Obama last year if he had ever tried to get to the bottom of conspiracy theories surrounding Area 51.

“The aliens won’t let it happen,” Obama joked. “You’d reveal all their secrets. They exercise strict control over us.”

Tags Area 51 Hillary Clinton