Trump Orders Declassification of Key Assassination Files
President Donald Trump has initiated a significant move to declassify files related to three of the most pivotal assassinations in U.S. history: former President John F. Kennedy, former U.S. Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy, and civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr.
A Promised Move from the White House
In a directive signed last week, Trump instructed the Director of National Intelligence and the Attorney General to review the relevant documents and prepare a plan for their full release within 45 days. This announcement was made in a statement issued by the White House.
This executive order aligns with Trump’s previous commitments made during his campaign, where he pledged to release the JFK assassination-related documents upon returning to the presidency. He emphasized, “It’s been 60 years, time for the American people to know the TRUTH!” Such assurances have reignited public interest in the decades-old mysteries surrounding these assassinations.
Historical Context and Previous Releases
This declassification effort is not without precedent. In 1992, Congress passed the John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act, which mandated that all related records be consolidated and released within 25 years, unless national security concerns necessitated further delay.
During his first term, Trump had promised to unveil the final batch of documents; however, his administration ultimately withheld hundreds of records due to appeals from the CIA and FBI. Citing “potentially irreversible harm” to national security, Trump initially maintained that the risks of releasing certain information outweighed the public’s right to know.
Biden’s Continued Efforts to Release Information
Following Trump, former President Joe Biden took measures to declassify documents, releasing batches in 2021, 2022, and 2023. A major announcement in July 2023 confirmed that the National Archives and Records Administration had completed its review, making approximately 99% of JFK-related material available to the public.
In light of these previous actions, Trump’s recent directive reiterated his belief that withholding information is not aligned with the public interest. He stated, “I have now determined that the continued redaction and withholding of information […] is long overdue.” This sentiment extends beyond the JFK case; Trump also called for the release of records related to Robert F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr., declaring it vital for the public interest.
Reactions to the Announcement
The announcement has drawn mixed reactions from various figures. Notably, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Trump’s nominee for Health and Human Services Secretary, expressed gratitude towards the former president for initiating this long-overdue process. He argued that the historical pattern of secrecy and misinformation surrounding JFK’s assassination has affected numerous subsequent events, contributing to a growing sense of mistrust in government.
Conversely, JFK’s grandson, Jack Schlossberg, criticized the declassification move, accusing Trump of using his grandfather as a “political prop,” noting that JFK cannot defend himself. Schlossberg’s comments underscore the complexity of the relationship between historical narratives and contemporary political agendas.
