Anchor Boris Sanchez asked former CIA Director Leon Panetta about the Pentagon’s release of UFO/UAP files on Friday’s edition of CNN News Central.

President Donald Trump announced the file release on Truth Social, writing, “In an effort for Complete and Maximum Transparency, it was my Honor to direct my Administration to identify and provide Government files related to Alien and Extraterrestrial Life, Unidentified Aerial Phenomena, and Unidentified Flying Objects.”

Trump added that “the people can decide for themselves, ‘WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?’”

“I have to ask you about this because the Pentagon just released what they’re calling ‘never before seen files‘ on UFOs,” Sanchez began. “I imagine that as a member of Congress, as the secretary of defense, chief of staff at the White House — you’ve held a lot of jobs — CIA director. Is this stuff new to you? What do you know about aliens, Secretary? Tell us!”

“Well, Boris, I can’t tell you how many times when I was secretary, I was asked about, are there really aliens out there? Do we have an alien ship?” Panetta said.

“You know, some of the movies that portrayed that kind of thing going on — people were infatuated with that,” he continued. “And I’m sure these pictures that are being released will raise a lot more concern about whether or not, in fact, there are aliens. I just have to tell you, I’m not aware of the United States ever having decided that there, in fact, are aliens, and that there are spaceships that have come into our territory. So, I haven’t seen evidence to that effect, but, what, what the Pentagon is now doing is basically letting the American people make up their own minds.”

“What about your mind?” Sanchez pressed. “Is your mind made up? Do you think there are aliens out there?”

“I have not seen any firm evidence that there are aliens out there. I do think that some of our adversaries, very frankly, have technologies that have been used against us that appear to be alien, but in fact, are efforts by our adversaries to basically breach our security. That’s what I think has happened,” Panetta said.

“Secretary, I thought this was going to end on a lighthearted note,” Sanchez said. “You just scared me with that one, man. Uh, Leon Panetta, thanks so much for joining us.”

Watch the clip above via CNN.

New: The Mediaite One-Sheet "Newsletter of Newsletters"
Your daily summary and analysis of what the many, many media newsletters are saying and reporting. Subscribe now!