Trump vows to release JFK, RFK, and MLK assassination files for full transparency

During a victory rally, Trump pledged to release government records tied to historic assassinations.

President-elect Donald Trump announced on Sunday his intention to release a significant collection of long-concealed government documents concerning the assassinations of John F. Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy, and Martin Luther King Jr.

Framing the move as a step toward enhancing government transparency, the 78-year-old Trump promised to issue directives for the disclosures “in the coming days” during his high-energy victory rally in Washington, DC.

“As the first step toward restoring transparency and accountability to government, we will also reverse the over-classification of government documents,” Trump declared to the packed audience at the 20,000-seat 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.,” he added, receiving thunderous applause from the crowd.

During his first term, Trump had considered releasing the JFK files in alignment with the 1992 Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act, which mandated full disclosure by 2017.

However, resistance from national security officials, including former CIA director and later Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, led to a partial release and a postponement of the full disclosure until October 2021. President Biden adopted a similar stance.

According to CNN, more than 95% of the CIA’s JFK assassination records have already been made public. Kennedy was assassinated on November 22, 1963.

Previous government investigations have concluded that Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone in assassinating Kennedy. Nonetheless, many remain skeptical of this conclusion, with unanswered questions persisting.

On the campaign trail, Trump emphasized his intention to release all remaining JFK files. At Sunday’s rally, he pledged to go further by also releasing files on RFK and MLK still classified by the government.

While the Martin Luther King Jr. Records Collection Act sets a 2027 deadline for the release of remaining files related to King, Trump did not specify whether he would expedite the process.

His remarks coincided with Martin Luther King Jr. Day, which falls one day before his inauguration. Federal agencies, including the FBI, had conducted surveillance on King during his civil rights activism, though many details remain undisclosed.

King was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee, on April 4, 1968, while RFK was killed on June 6, 1968.

Trump has appointed Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a nephew of JFK, as Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services.

Kennedy Jr., a vocal advocate for releasing these records, has had significant influence on Trump’s decision. Trump previously promised to release the JFK files during an Arizona rally in August, where he received Kennedy Jr.'s endorsement.