'Tall Whites': Legend of alien species makes resurgence in Trump era

The author used artificial intelligence in the crafting of this article.

One of the earliest U.S. reports of alien encounters came in the 1960s. A soldier stationed as a weather watcher at Nellis military base in Nevada described seeing pale yet slender, graceful beings.

They have an unforgettable name: The “Tall Whites.” The Tall Whites are one of the more peculiar entries in alien lore. They are described as humanoid extraterrestrials with chalk white skin, lanky builds, and glowing blue or pink eyes, often said to be over seven feet tall. Their mythology blends Cold War paranoia, spiritual mysticism, and racial archetypes, making them ripe for both fascination and critique.

Now, the story of the Tall Whites is burning up the internet again even though it's not new. The most prominent source of Tall White reports comes from Charles James Hall, a former U.S. Air Force weather observer. He claims to have encountered these beings during his time at Nellis Air Force Base. The details of his story are explained in a documentary about Hall called "Walking with the Tall Whites." The movie explains, in Hall's words:

The Tall Whites had a base near the desert range.

The Tall Whites would come into the barracks of the base and have discussions with military generals. Hall claimed to have heard them talking.

They were aloof but not hostile, sometimes accompanied by their children.

Encounters ranged from terrifying to oddly mundane.

Hall documented his experiences in the "Millennial Hospitality" book series, later adapted into the documentary "Walking With the Tall Whites."

The Tall Whites are very fragile, and could die from being stung by a bumble bee, Hall claimed.

The U.S. government built the Tall Whites an underground base, Hall said. Newspaper reports in the 1960s referenced a secret military project being undertaken in that region but the story never was updated. In exchange for the base, the Tall Whites shared some of their advanced technology, Hall said, but they would not share secrets regarding the propulsion of their spacecraft.

Hall said Tall Whites can live to be 800 years old but are very fragile. He described the beings as "white as a piece of paper" with smallish ears and noses and about half as much hair on their heads as a human. Their eyes glowed blue or pink, Hall said.

The Tall Whites wore special suits that allowed them to levitate.

The Tall Whites carried "squarish" weapons in their hands, Hall said. He said he remembers his first encounter with a Tall White. "She looked really afraid of me, ready to fire on me." He said he wondered if he was having delusions and decided to go back to bed and forget about it.

A Tic Tac spacecraft

Hall has long maintained the Tall Whites' spacecraft resembled a Tic Tac. Ironically, reports of Navy personnel spotting a Tic Tac shaped craft on a flight recently surfaced during a Congressional hearing on UFOs. In an article for KLAS in Las Vegas, famed UFO reporter James Knaap said the 2004 incident led to the U.S. trying to reverse engineer a Tic Tac craft of its own. The government denies this and claims there would be an explanation for the Tic Tac sighting if more data were available.

Tall Whites dressed as nuns in Vegas?

Other people also have reported seeing the Tall Whites. A Canadian defense minister once relayed a story he heard about the Tall Whites escaping their Nevada base for a fun holiday in Vegas, according to an article in Popular Science. The beings allegedly dressed as nuns.

Is Hall believable?

Hall's accounts of the Tall Whites are filled with details that sometimes seem absurd. There is a large faction that tries to discredit him. Critics point to several issues:

Lack of physical evidence: No photos, no artifacts, no corroborated sightings beyond anecdotal claims.

Psychological explanations: Sleep paralysis, hallucinations, and cultural conditioning may explain the experiences.

Racial bias: The idea that “white, tall, beautiful” beings are superior or more evolved has drawn criticism for echoing supremacist tropes.

Academic voices like Stephanie Kelley-Romano, a professor at Bates College, describe alien abduction beliefs as “a living myth,” shaped by cultural anxieties and personal narratives rather than empirical evidence, according to her scholarly reports.

Some say the story of the Tall Whites is a politically inspired myth. Some scholars argue the myth reflects racial idealization, especially in post-World War II America. Cultural historian David J. Skal linked Nordic alien myths to films like "The Day the Earth Stood Still," which featured a tall, white extraterrestrial warning humanity about nuclear war. Others suggest the myth serves as a projection of spiritual longing, with aliens cast as saviors or guides.

Conservatives, liberals enthralled with tall whites

Perhaps it is no coincidence that the story of the Tall Whites has made a resurgence during a conservative period in the U.S. where some say white supremacy is alive and well. The name Tall Whites sounds like a situational comedy about the Trump family.

Has Elon Musk been making secret hand gestures to the Tall Whites? Likely not. The media loves to speculate about his gestures, one of which some alleged was a Nazi salute, according to the New York Times. "The website of the Anti-Defamation League, which campaigns against anti-Semitism, defines the Nazi salute as 'raising an outstretched right arm with the palm down,' and ranks it as 'the most common white supremacist hand sign in the world,'" the Times reported. "But after Mr. Musk’s stiff-arm salute, the Anti-Defamation League called it an awkward gesture in a moment of enthusiasm, not a Nazi salute.'”

One thing is certain: The story of the Tall Whites has really been making the rounds the past several months, mostly on conservative news sites and in YouTube videos.

In a Newsweek article written in 2023, the author reports UFOs are bringing Democrats and Republicans together. "Efforts to compel greater disclosure of information about UFOs and similar subjects have gained considerable traction in recent years as reports emerged and documents have been declassified revealing the extent of the U.S. government's tracking of the phenomenon," according to the article. "In 2021, a host of documents were declassified that revealed sightings of UFOs and UAP, largely from Navy personnel, dating to 2004."

Certainly the Tic Tac sighting lends credibility to Hall's story. The Tall Whites clearly have believers in both parties, but Republicans seem be digging deep for the truth. In the Newsweek article, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he is hopeful there will be revelations about UFOs forthcoming. "We've taken some important steps over the last few years to increase transparency and reduce stigmas, but more needs to be done. This is yet another step in that direction and one that I hope will spur further cooperation from the executive branch."