U.S. President Donald Trump's UFO advisor has downplayed the potential significance of extraterrestrial contact, saying alien visitors would have little interest in Earth's leadership or territorial divisions. Avi Loeb, head of the Trump administration's Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP) Science Advisory Council, said this week that interstellar visitors would view human politics as irrelevant.
Loeb said: "If someone arrives from the vast expanses of interstellar space, recognising how humans divided up territory on Earth is a very low priority for them. They wouldn't care about the United States, and they wouldn't care who its president is." However, Loeb stated that exploring extraterrestrial life during Trump's presidency could define his legacy for millennia.
The advisory council, announced in June, is part of the administration's broader push for UFO transparency. Five waves of documents have been released by the Pentagon so far, although none of them has conclusively shown the existence of any life forms from outer space. The government is also developing legislation for UAP whistleblowers.
Loeb's appointment has drawn criticism from some scientists who argue he has made premature claims about possible alien life. Arizona State University astrophysicist Steve Desch told The Associated Press in June that questions may remain unanswered with Loeb in charge. Loeb maintains that his team assumes UAPs are man-made unless proven otherwise.