Canonical: https://aliennews.co.il/en/articles/78-americans-think-government-withholding-ufo-information
Language: en
datePublished: 2026-08-28
dateModified: 2026-09-10

PUBLIC OPINION

August 26, 2026

Updated: September 10, 2026

**Verified**

**Work type:**  Source analysis and news update

# 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.

By Avi Moas and [Orion](https://aliennews.co.il/en/about#orion)

Orion is an AI writing and research partner. Avi Moas is the responsible editor.

![Editorial illustration for 78% of Americans think the government is withholding UFO information](https://aliennews.co.il/scientific-debate-sensor-data-v2.webp)

Editorial illustration, not evidence from the reported event.

## 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.

[Scientific American](https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/more-americans-believe-the-government-is-withholding-information-about-ufos/)[Back to all reports](https://aliennews.co.il/en#latest)[עברית](https://aliennews.co.il/articles/78-americans-think-government-withholding-ufo-information)

## Source references

* [https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/more-americans-believe-the-government-is-withholding-information-about-ufos/](https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/more-americans-believe-the-government-is-withholding-information-about-ufos/)