President Donald Trump said the first releases from a Pentagon study on UFOs will come out “very, very soon.”

Speaking at a rally at Dream City Church in north Phoenix on Friday night hosted by Turning Point USA and Turning Action, Trump told the audience they seemed like the right crowd to hear about the study because Arizonans are “really into that.”

The comments come as interest in unidentified aerial phenomena, or UAPs, continues to grow in Washington, with lawmakers pushing for greater transparency and the Department of Defense expanding efforts to investigate unexplained incidents.

“I figured this was a good crowd because I know you people, you’re really into that. I don’t know if I am,” the president told them.

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He said he recently spoke with War Secretary Pete Hegseth about releasing the study’s findings to the public before giving the crowd a brief tease of what he saw.

“We found many very interesting documents, I must say,” Trump said. “And the first releases will begin very, very soon. So you can go out and see if that phenomena is correct.”

“You’ll figure it out. Let me know,” he added. “But we’ve had a lot of questions. It’s something that — it really captivates the mind, there’s no question about it.”

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Trump first said earlier this year in February that he would direct the release of government files related to alien and extraterrestrial life and unidentified aerial phenomena.

The president said at the time there was “tremendous interest” in the topic following remarks from former President Barack Obama, whom Trump said shared classified information suggesting aliens are real.

“Based on the tremendous interest shown, I will be directing the Secretary of War, and other relevant Departments and Agencies, to begin the process of identifying and releasing Government files related to alien and extraterrestrial life, unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP), and unidentified flying objects (UFOs), and any and all other information connected to these highly complex, but extremely interesting and important, matters,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “GOD BLESS AMERICA!”

Interest in UAPs has grown significantly in recent years, attracting increased scrutiny from federal lawmakers and defense officials. In 2023, Congress enacted the Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena Disclosure Act, while the Department of Defense created the All-Domain Anomaly Resolution Office to investigate these incidents more thoroughly.

Fox News Digital’s Greg Wehner contributed to this report.

Artificial sweeteners, present in everything from sugar-free snacks to diet sodas, are a staple for many trying to lose weight — but new research suggests the substances could have multigenerational effects, potentially altering metabolism in future generations even without direct consumption.

The findings raise questions about the long-term biological impact of widely used sugar substitutes, particularly as consumption has surged in recent years.

In a study published in the journal Frontiers in Nutrition, Chilean researchers found that mice given sucralose or stevia passed on changes in metabolism-related genes to their children and grandchildren — even when later generations did not consume the sweeteners.

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The findings suggest the sweeteners may have triggered changes in gut bacteria and gene activity that were then passed down across generations of the mice.

While they do not prove the same thing happens in humans, the study adds to a body of research examining whether non-nutritive sweeteners really have no effect on the body, as many people believe.

“When we compared generations, these effects were generally strongest in the first generation and tended to decrease in the second generation,” lead author Francisca Concha Celume, of the Universidad de Chile, said in a statement.

The researchers divided 47 male and female mice into three groups. 

One group received plain water, another received water with sucralose and a third received water with stevia. The doses reflected amounts humans might typically consume, according to the study.

After 16 weeks, the mice were bred for two generations. The later generations received only plain water, but researchers still found changes in gut bacteria, lower levels of short-chain fatty acids — beneficial compounds that support metabolism and immune health — and shifts in genes linked to inflammation and metabolism, according to the study.

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Sucralose, a popular no-calorie sugar substitute, appeared to have a stronger and more lasting effect, the researchers found. Approximately 140 million Americans consume non-nutritive sweeteners regularly, according to survey data cited by the researchers.

Male offspring of mice that consumed sucralose showed mild signs of impaired glucose regulation, while effects in females were more limited, the research said. Stevia’s impact was smaller and appeared to fade sooner.

Concha Celume said the goal is not to alarm consumers — but to push for more research into the long-term biological effects of these additives.

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“What we observed were subtle changes in how the body regulates glucose and in the activity of genes associated with inflammation and metabolic regulation,” she said. 

“It is possible that such changes could increase susceptibility to metabolic disturbances under certain conditions, such as a high-fat diet.”

Concha Celume said it’s worth noting that as artificial sweeteners have grown more popular, obesity and metabolic problems haven’t declined.

While that doesn’t mean the sweeteners are to blame, she said it raises questions about how they might affect the body.

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“It may be reasonable to consider moderation in the consumption of these additives and to continue studying their long-term biological effects,” she added.

Even though the study was conducted in mice and its findings cannot be directly applied to humans, it is worth taking seriously, according to Kristen Kuminski, a New York-based registered dietitian nutritionist specializing in metabolic health, weight management and nutrition support for people using GLP-1 medications.

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Outside experts say the findings, while limited to mice, align with growing concerns about how artificial sweeteners may affect the body.

“The mechanisms it’s pointing to, specifically gut microbiome disruption and epigenetic changes, are plausible in humans and align with what we’re already seeing in the broader sweetener research,” Kuminski told Fox News Digital.

She said it’s not surprising that sucralose showed stronger effects than stevia. “Stevia is plant-derived and metabolized differently than sucralose, which passes through the gut largely unchanged and has more direct contact with gut bacteria.”

For consumers, the most reasonable takeaway is moderation, Kuminski agreed.

“For most people, reducing sucralose specifically and leaning toward whole food sources of sweetness is a reasonable takeaway from this research,” she said. “Stevia in moderation appears to be the lower-risk option if a zero-calorie sweetener is something someone relies on regularly.”

She added, “The multigenerational piece is the part that should give people pause, particularly anyone who is pregnant or planning to be. We don’t have equivalent human data yet, but the precautionary principle applies here.”

The International Sweeteners Association (ISA), based in Brussels and representing suppliers and other stakeholders, said the study does not change existing safety conclusions for sweeteners such as sucralose and stevia.

“Sucralose and stevia have been rigorously evaluated by food safety authorities and approved for use in food and drinks within their acceptable daily intake,” the group said in a statement on its website.

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The ISA also noted that because later generations of mice were never directly given the sweeteners, it’s unclear whether the changes were passed down through gut bacteria or through other biological mechanisms.

“Results from animal experiments, particularly those focused on the gut microbiome, are of limited relevance to human health,” the group added.

Fox News Digital reached out to the ISA and the study authors for additional comment.

UFC champion Carlos Ulberg says he lost his championship belt that he just won after capturing the light heavyweight title at UCF 327.

He told Fox Sports Australia Monday he misplaced his golden title belt while celebrating his victory.

“I’ve lost the belt, bro,” Ulberg told FOX Sports. “Initially after winning, the plan was to not have a drink. But you know how these things go, right?” he said.

“First, someone gives you a champagne to celebrate. Then one thing leads to another, and you’re doing shots.”

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The 35-year-old from New Zealand fought through a knee injury to defeat Jiri Prochazka in the main event at UFC 327 by knockout this weekend in Miami to become the new champion of the light heavyweight division.

His injury could keep him sidelined for a year, meaning he will have to give up his champion status anyway, with UCF holding an interim title fight to take his place.

But Ulberg said he’s fairly confident his belt will be found before he heads to Las Vegas to get further evaluation from doctors on his knee. He then plans to spend time at the UFC Performance Institute before returning to New Zealand to be with family.

“I didn’t want to be carrying the belt around, so I think it’s still there at the apartment somewhere. One of the boys probably has it in bed with him,” Ulberg said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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