President Trump Orders Declassification of JFK, RFK, and MLK Assassination Records
Executive Order mandates the release of files related to three historic assassinations after decades of secrecy
On January 23, 2025, President Donald J. Trump signed an Executive Order directing the declassification of records related to the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy, Senator Robert F. Kennedy, and the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The order aims to provide transparency and access to information after more than sixty years of restricted access to these documents.
The directive requires the Director of National Intelligence and other relevant officials to present plans for the full release of the JFK assassination records within fifteen days.
Additionally, records concerning the assassinations of Robert F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr. must undergo immediate review, with plans for their release to be submitted within forty-five days.
The President John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act of 1992 mandated the release of all records related to the assassination by 2017 unless a presidential certification justified continued withholding based on risks to national security, intelligence, or foreign relations.
In 2017 and 2018, during his first term, President Trump ordered agencies to reevaluate redactions and disclose additional information.
Delays in subsequent years, including under President Biden, postponed the full release of these files.
The latest Executive Order underscores the administration's stance that continued withholding of these records is no longer justified and that full disclosure serves the public interest.
President Trump’s directive fulfills his campaign pledge to release the records, which he stated was essential for providing closure to the victims' families and ensuring public transparency.
No additional details about the content of the records or the timeline for their release have been disclosed.
The directive requires the Director of National Intelligence and other relevant officials to present plans for the full release of the JFK assassination records within fifteen days.
Additionally, records concerning the assassinations of Robert F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr. must undergo immediate review, with plans for their release to be submitted within forty-five days.
The President John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act of 1992 mandated the release of all records related to the assassination by 2017 unless a presidential certification justified continued withholding based on risks to national security, intelligence, or foreign relations.
In 2017 and 2018, during his first term, President Trump ordered agencies to reevaluate redactions and disclose additional information.
Delays in subsequent years, including under President Biden, postponed the full release of these files.
The latest Executive Order underscores the administration's stance that continued withholding of these records is no longer justified and that full disclosure serves the public interest.
President Trump’s directive fulfills his campaign pledge to release the records, which he stated was essential for providing closure to the victims' families and ensuring public transparency.
No additional details about the content of the records or the timeline for their release have been disclosed.
