Trump orders plan for release of JFK and MLK assassination files

In a significant move, President Donald Trump has instructed his administration to develop a plan to declassify documents related to three of the most pivotal assassinations in American history: those of John F Kennedy, Robert F Kennedy, and Martin Luther King Jr. Trump expressed to reporters in the Oval Office, 'A lot of people are waiting for this for long, for years, for decades. ' He emphasized that the public deserves to know the truth, stating, 'And everything will be revealed. ' The directive requires top officials to present a plan for declassifying these documents within a 15-day timeframe. However, it is important to note that this does not guarantee that the documents will be released. John F Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas in 1963 while riding in a motorcade with his wife. His brother, Robert F Kennedy, was killed in 1968 while campaigning for the presidency in California, just two months after the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. , a prominent civil rights leader who was shot in Memphis, Tennessee. Over the years, many documents related to these investigations have been made public, but thousands remain redacted, particularly those concerning the extensive investigation into JFK's assassination. Lee Harvey Oswald, a Marine veteran who had defected to the Soviet Union, was identified as the shooter of President Kennedy. A government commission concluded that Oswald acted alone; however, numerous unanswered questions have persisted, leading to various alternative theories regarding the involvement of government agents, organized crime, and other shadowy figures. Additionally, more outlandish conspiracy theories have emerged over the years. Opinion polls conducted over the decades indicate that a majority of Americans do not believe Oswald was the sole assassin. In 1992, Congress enacted a law mandating the release of all documents related to the investigation within a 25-year period. Both Trump during his first term and President Joe Biden have released substantial amounts of JFK-related documents, yet thousands of files, out of millions, remain partially or fully classified. Trump had previously promised to declassify all files during his first term but ultimately held back after CIA and FBI officials advised him to keep certain documents secret. The executive order issued today asserts that continued secrecy 'is not consistent with the public interest. ' Jefferson Morley, a former journalist for the Washington Post and an expert on the JFK assassination, remarked, 'As a statement of intention it's great that the president has put his promise into words on paper. That's important. ' However, he cautioned that the details and execution of this plan are crucial, stating, 'This process is just beginning. How exactly this is going to be carried out is not at all clear. ' Recent document releases have shed new light on the circumstances surrounding the assassination, including revelations about the CIA's extensive surveillance of Oswald. In 2023, Paul Landis, an 88-year-old former Secret Service agent who witnessed the assassination firsthand, disclosed that he retrieved a bullet from the car after Kennedy was shot. This detail complicates the official narrative that a single bullet struck both President Kennedy and Texas Governor John Connally, who was also in the motorcade but survived the shooting. Morley noted that this new information raises further doubts about the theory that Oswald acted alone and predicted that a comprehensive release of all redacted documents could significantly enhance public understanding of the events. However, he also cautioned that there may not be a definitive 'smoking gun,' and that CIA and other security officials will likely advocate for maintaining some level of secrecy. 'This story is not over,' he concluded. During the signing ceremony at the White House, Trump requested that the pen he used to sign the order be given to Robert F Kennedy Jr. , the son of RFK, JFK's nephew, and the president's nominee for health secretary. RFK Jr. has long expressed skepticism about the official accounts of his uncle's and father's assassinations. Robert F Kennedy was shot and killed in a Los Angeles ballroom by Sirhan Sirhan, a Palestinian man who was angry about US support for Israel. RFK Jr. has spoken with Sirhan in prison and has stated that he does not believe Sirhan was responsible for his father's death, although other members of the Kennedy family reject this claim. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated by James Earl Ray, a white nationalist. Members of King's family have alleged that Ray did not act alone and was part of a larger conspiracy. This ongoing discussion about the assassinations continues to captivate public interest and raises questions about the transparency of government actions during these critical moments in American history.