US President Donald Trump signed an Executive Order on Thursday, January 23 to declassify the remaining files on the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy, Senator Robert F. Kennedy, and the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
"The Federal Government has not released to the public all of its records related to those events," Trump said in the Executive Order that he signed on his fourth day in office.
"Their families and the American people deserve transparency and truth.
"It is in the national interest to finally release all records related to these assassinations without delay."
Irish American US President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Texas on November 22, 1963. His younger brother, Senator Robert F. Kennedy, was shot in California on June 5, 1968, and died the following day.
John F. Kennedy and Robert F. Kennedy. (Getty Images)
Dr. Martin Luther King was shot and killed in Memphis, Tennesse on April 4, 1968.
The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King. (Getty Images)
In his Executive Order, Trump noted that he previously accepted proposed redactions to records related to the assassination of President Kennedy from executive departments and agencies in 2017 and 2018, but ordered the continued re-evaluation of those remaining redactions.
He acknowledged that President Biden issued subsequent certifications with respect to these records in 2021, 2022, and 2023, which gave agencies additional time to review the records and withhold information from public disclosure.
"I have now determined that the continued redaction and withholding of information from records pertaining to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy is not consistent with the public interest and the release of these records is long overdue," Trump said in his Executive Order.
"And although no Act of Congress directs the release of information pertaining to the assassinations of Senator Robert F. Kennedy and the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., I have determined that the release of all records in the Federal Government’s possession pertaining to each of those assassinations is also in the public interest."
The order dictates that a plan regarding the full and complete release of records relating to JFK's assassination be presented within 15 days, and the same for the assassinations of RFK and MLK within 45 days.
"Nothing heroic"
Robert F. Kennedy Jr, RFK's son and Trump's nominee for United States Secretary of Health and Human Services, supports the declassification order.
However, John F. Kennedy's grandson and Robert F. Kennedy's nephew Jack Schlossberg has expressed his displeasure.
On X, Schlossberg wrote: "The truth is a lot sadder than the myth — a tragedy that didn’t need to happen.
"Not part of an inevitable grand scheme.
"Declassification is using JFK as a political prop, when he’s not here to punch back.
"There’s nothing heroic about it."
JFK conspiracy theories —
The truth is alot sadder than the myth — a tragedy that didn’t need to happen. Not part of an inevitable grand scheme.
Declassification is using JFK as a political prop, when he’s not here to punch back.
There’s nothing heroic about it.
Jack
— Jack Schlossberg (@JBKSchlossberg) January 23, 2025
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