President-elect Donald Trump announced on Sunday his intention to release classified government files related to the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy, Senator Robert F. Kennedy, and civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. The announcement, made during his victory rally in Washington, D.C., was met with thunderous applause from supporters.
"As the first step toward restoring transparency and accountability to government, we will also reverse the over-classification of government documents," Trump declared to a packed Capital One Arena. "And in the coming days, we are going to make public remaining records relating to the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy, his brother Robert Kennedy, as well as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr."
Trump's remarks come on the eve of his inauguration for a second, non-consecutive term and just ahead of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. His pledge reignites debate over some of the most controversial moments in American history, events that have long fueled conspiracy theories and public skepticism.
During his first term, Trump released a tranche of records on JFK's assassination in accordance with the 1992 Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act, which mandated that all remaining files be disclosed by 2017. However, he delayed full release under pressure from intelligence agencies, citing national security concerns. President Joe Biden followed a similar path, leaving thousands of files under lock and key.
While over 95% of the CIA's records related to the JFK assassination have been made public, questions linger about the remaining files. Kennedy was assassinated on November 22, 1963, in Dallas, Texas, a killing attributed to Lee Harvey Oswald acting alone. However, polls indicate that many Americans suspect a broader conspiracy.
Trump's announcement expands beyond JFK, promising transparency on the assassinations of RFK and MLK. Both were killed in 1968, with RFK's death attributed to Sirhan Sirhan and MLK's to James Earl Ray. Yet doubts and alternative theories persist, particularly about potential government involvement in King's surveillance and the circumstances surrounding RFK's death.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Trump's pick for Health and Human Services Secretary, has long championed the release of these documents. A nephew of JFK and son of RFK, Kennedy Jr. has expressed skepticism about the official accounts of both assassinations, alleging CIA involvement in JFK's death-a claim the agency has repeatedly denied.
Trump's promise to declassify files on King comes five years before the Martin Luther King Jr. Records Collection Act mandates their release in 2027. The FBI's surveillance of King, including his civil rights activism and personal life, remains a controversial chapter in U.S. history.
Trump did not specify which documents would be included in the upcoming release or whether the files would be fully declassified. Still, his pledge has reignited hope among historians and conspiracy theorists alike for new insights into these pivotal events.
The Sunday rally marked Trump's first major event of its kind in Washington, D.C., since his November 5, 2024, election victory. Supporters packed the 20,000-seat arena, where Trump laid out his vision for his return to the presidency, including a renewed focus on transparency and accountability in government.
