Former President Barack Obama joked that aliens are “real” — just not at Area 51 — during an interview released on Saturday. Obama appeared for an interview with left-wing podcaster Brian Tyler Cohen that was published on Feb. 14. During a lightning round of questions, Obama was asked by Cohen about extraterrestrials and played along. “They’re real, but I haven’t seen them,” Obama said. “They’re not being kept at Area 51. There’s no underground facility, unless there’s this enormous conspiracy and they hid it from the president of the United States.” SALENA ZITO: MISSING THE STORY BETWEEN THE LINES Area 51 is a highly classified U.S. Air Force base in the Nevada desert, about 100 miles north of Las Vegas. For decades, it has been the subject of conspiracy theories claiming the government is hiding evidence of extraterrestrial life there. Obama dismissed those rumors, joking that if aliens existed and were being concealed, even the president was not in on it. Scientists continue to search for signs of life beyond Earth, but there is no confirmed evidence that aliens have visited or are being housed in secret government facilities. The interview marked Obama’s first public appearance since a controversial social media post shared on Truth Social by President Donald Trump’s account earlier in February. The video depicted Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama as apes, prompting widespread backlash. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt defended the clip, telling reporters to “please stop the fake outrage.” Trump, speaking aboard Air Force One, declined to apologize and said, “I didn’t make a mistake.” OBAMA SAYS ‘RESPECT FOR THE OFFICE’ LOST AFTER TRUMP SHARES RACIST APE VIDEO Asked about the broader political climate, Obama criticized what he described as a lack of “decorum.” “There doesn’t seem to be any shame about this among people who used to feel like you had to have some sort of decorum and a sense of propriety and respect for the office,” he said. “There’s this sort of clown show that’s happening in social media and on television.”