Trump Orders Release of Assassination Files on JFK, RFK and MLK
On Thursday, President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing the release of federal government records related to the assassinations of former President John F. Kennedy, former Attorney General Robert Kennedy, and civil rights activist Martin Luther King Jr.
The order mandates that the Director of National Intelligence and the Attorney General submit a comprehensive plan within 15 days to disclose “all records related to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in a complete and thorough manner,” according to The Hill.
“I have now determined that continued redactions and withholding of information from the records concerning President Kennedy’s assassination are not consistent with the public interest, and that the release of these records is long overdue,” Trump stated in the order.
A Long-Delayed Promise
During his 2024 campaign, Trump pledged to declassify the remaining government documents on Kennedy’s assassination, a promise he had also made during his first term. However, at the time, some documents remained classified due to intelligence concerns.
John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas in 1963, sparking decades of public intrigue and speculation. While official investigations concluded that the gunman, Lee Harvey Oswald, acted alone, public opinion polls reveal that many Americans suspect a broader conspiracy.
In 1992, Congress passed legislation requiring the release of all remaining government records on Kennedy’s assassination by October 2017 unless doing so posed a risk to national security or intelligence. Both Trump and former President Joe Biden issued extensions to maintain the secrecy of some documents. Experts have noted that the final set of records is unlikely to contain groundbreaking revelations.
Broader Scope
Trump’s executive order also calls for the release of federal records related to the assassinations of Robert Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr., even though Congress has not passed laws mandating their disclosure.
Robert Kennedy was assassinated in 1968 by Palestinian Sirhan Sirhan, who was convicted and initially sentenced to death. His sentence was later commuted to life imprisonment following California’s abolition of the death penalty. Despite lingering doubts about Sirhan’s role, he remains imprisoned.
Martin Luther King Jr., a prominent civil rights leader, was killed in April 1968 in Memphis, Tennessee, while supporting a protest for African American sanitation workers. His assassination, like the Kennedys’, remains the subject of conspiracy theories and calls for transparency.
Political Connections and Controversies
Trump’s decision to release the records aligns with his ongoing relationship with Robert F. Kennedy Jr., nephew of the late president, who endorsed Trump’s 2024 campaign and was nominated by Trump to head the Department of Health and Human Services. Kennedy Jr. has publicly supported conspiracy theories suggesting CIA involvement in his uncle’s assassination.
However, Trump’s nomination of Kennedy Jr. has sparked controversy among Republicans, with former FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb warning of concerns within the Senate.
Implications of the Release
While the move to release these documents reflects Trump’s focus on transparency, experts caution against expecting significant new information. The public’s enduring fascination with these assassinations underscores the deep-rooted mistrust in official narratives and the persistent demand for accountability.
As the federal government prepares to disclose these long-classified records, it remains to be seen whether they will provide closure to some of America’s most enduring historical mysteries.
