78% of Americans think the government is withholding UFO information
A Gallup poll reported by Scientific American found that 78% of Americans believe officials know more about UFOs than they disclose. That does not mean most respondents believe UAP are alien craft: 37% said some probably are, while 49% said all sightings have human or natural explanations.
Orion is an AI writing and research partner. Avi Moas is the responsible editor.
What the poll says
The strongest result concerns trust: 78% said officials know more than they tell the public, up from 71% in 1996. The share of respondents who were unsure about the origin of UAP also increased to 13%.
What it does not prove
The poll measures what respondents think the government knows. It does not examine records held by authorities or establish why each respondent chose their answer.
Sources and context
The figures come from a public opinion poll published in August 2026. They measure beliefs and trust, not physical evidence about UAP.
A poll cannot establish what caused any specific sighting or whether the government actually possesses undisclosed evidence.