President Donald J. Trump has signed an executive order mandating the full declassification and release of all remaining federal records related to the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy, Senator Robert F. Kennedy, and the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
The order, signed on January 23, 2025, aims to bring long-awaited transparency and truth to the American people regarding these pivotal moments in U.S. history.
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“The American people deserve transparency and the truth,” President Trump stated in the executive order. “More than 50 years after these tragic events, it is in the national interest to release all related records without further delay.”
The move comes after decades of delays and partial releases under previous administrations. The 1992 President John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act required full disclosure of all assassination-related records by 2017, unless postponements were justified on national security grounds. Both the Trump and Biden administrations previously accepted redactions proposed by federal agencies, citing security concerns. However, President Trump’s latest directive asserts that continued withholding is no longer in the public interest.
The order not only mandates the release of the remaining JFK assassination files but also expands the effort to include records related to the assassinations of Senator Robert F. Kennedy and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., neither of which had been covered by the 1992 law.
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Under the executive order:
- Within 15 days, the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) and the Attorney General must present a plan to the President for the full and complete release of JFK assassination records.
- Within 45 days, the DNI and Attorney General must present a plan for the release of all records related to the assassinations of Senator Robert F. Kennedy and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
President Trump’s order directs these agencies to work in coordination with the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs and the White House Counsel to ensure full disclosure.
The declassification of these records is expected to provide new insights into the circumstances surrounding the assassinations, potentially addressing longstanding questions and fueling ongoing public debate. Many historians, researchers, and conspiracy theorists have long speculated that key details have been withheld, fueling mistrust in official government accounts.
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