Trump Orders Full Declassification of JFK, RFK, and MLK Assassination Records
US President Donald Trump has ordered the declassification of all remaining government records related to the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy, his brother Robert F. Kennedy, and civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. The executive order, signed on 23 January 2025, directs top administration officials to present a plan for the full release of the documents within 15 days for JFK and 45 days for RFK and MLK. Trump stated, “Everything will be revealed,” emphasising the public interest in transparency.
The release of these records has been long-awaited, with many Americans sceptical of the official narratives surrounding the assassinations. The Warren Commission concluded that Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone in killing JFK in 1963, but conspiracy theories have persisted for decades. Similarly, doubts surround the convictions of Sirhan Sirhan for RFK’s 1968 assassination and James Earl Ray for MLK’s murder the same year. Both RFK Jr., Trump’s nominee for Health Secretary, and members of the King family have questioned the official accounts, alleging broader conspiracies.
While millions of pages related to JFK’s assassination have already been released, thousands remain partially or fully redacted, primarily due to national security concerns. Experts, however, caution against expecting groundbreaking revelations. Gerald Posner, author of Case Closed, noted that the documents are unlikely to overturn the official conclusions but may provide additional context about the investigations and intelligence operations at the time.
The move has drawn mixed reactions. RFK Jr. praised Trump’s decision as a step toward government transparency, while JFK’s grandson, Jack Schlossberg, criticised it as a political stunt, calling it “using JFK as a political prop.” The release of these records marks a significant moment in addressing one of the most enduring mysteries in American history, though it remains to be seen whether it will quell decades of speculation or fuel further debate.
Trump orders plan to release JFK and MLK assassination files
Unanswered questions and conspiracy theories have long dogged the assassinations, particularly the murder of President John F Kennedy.
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Officials must come up with a plan in the next 15 days to declassify the files, and within 45 days for documents on Robert F Kennedy and Martin Luther
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Trump orders release of thousands of classified files on JFK assassination
Executive order also aims to declassify federal records on killings of Robert F Kennedy and Martin Luther King
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The Trump Administration
Learn more about President Donald J. Trump, First Lady Melania Trump, Vice President JD Vance, Second Lady Usha Vance, and The Cabinet.
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Trump ordered declassification of remaining JFK assassination records
Trump says ‘everything will be revealed’ about the 1963 killing of the 35th president, the murder of Kennedy’s brother five years later and the sniper
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Trump orders release of JFK, King assassination files
US President Donald Trump ordered the declassification Thursday of the last secret files on the assassination of president John F. Kennedy, a case tha
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Trump's release of assassination docs opens window into nation's most debated mysteries
America has waited decades for the full release of documents relating to the killings of JFK, RFK and MLK. That wait may soon be over.
www.usatoday.com
JFK assassination expert reacts to Trump order to release files
NBC News' Tom Llamas spoke to Gerald Posner, author of Case Closed, about the potential impact of President Trump's order to release the assassination
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Trump Declassifying All JFK, RFK And MLK Jr. Assassination Records—Here's What That Means
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www.forbes.com