Vice President J.D. Vance offered a candid and unconventional take on unidentified aerial phenomena during a recent interview, revealing both a personal fascination with UFOs and a belief that their origins may be something other than extraterrestrial.
Speaking with podcaster Benny Johnson, Vance described himself as “obsessed” with the topic, even as the demands of his office have limited how much time he can devote to exploring it in depth.
“I have not been able to spend enough time on this to understand it,” Vance said. “But, trust me, I’m obsessed with this.” He added that he has considered traveling to locations long associated with UFO lore, including Area 51 and parts of New Mexico, in an effort to better understand the phenomenon, though those plans have yet to materialize.
Despite his curiosity, Vance suggested he is skeptical of the idea that UFOs are evidence of alien life. Instead, he offered a perspective rooted in religious belief.
“I don’t think they’re aliens, I think they’re demons anyway,” he said, prompting Johnson to press further on the remark.
Vance elaborated by pointing to broader spiritual traditions, noting that many major religions—including Christianity, which he identified as his own—have long acknowledged the existence of forces that are difficult to explain.
“I think that celestial beings who fly around to do weird things to people… the desire to describe everything as aliens,” he said, is one way people attempt to make sense of the unknown. But, he added, religious frameworks have historically offered alternative interpretations of such phenomena.
“When I hear about extra natural phenomenon, that’s where I go to: the Christian understanding that there’s a lot of good out there, but there’s also evil out there,” Vance said. He went on to suggest that one of the “devil’s great tricks” is convincing people that such forces do not exist at all.
The exchange underscored a broader theme that has emerged in discussions about UFOs in recent years: the tension between scientific inquiry, government transparency, and deeply held personal beliefs. While some view the subject through a technological or extraterrestrial lens, others interpret it through philosophical or spiritual frameworks.
Johnson also asked whether the administration plans to release additional government files related to UFOs, a topic that has drawn increasing public interest.
“We’re working on it,” Vance responded, acknowledging that his initial enthusiasm for the issue has had to compete with the realities of governing. “It’s funny, when I came in I was obsessed with the UFO files, and then you start getting really busy worrying about the economy and national security, and things like that.”
Even so, Vance made clear that the issue remains on his radar. With several years remaining in office, he expressed confidence that he will eventually be able to take a closer look at the available information.
“I’ve still got three more years as vice president,” he said. “And I will get to the bottom of the UFO files.”
For now, the remarks offer a glimpse into how one of the nation’s top officials views a subject that continues to capture public imagination—blending curiosity, skepticism, and a perspective shaped as much by faith as by policy priorities.
