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Donald Trump to release files on JFK, Martin Luther King Jr assassinations: Why it's significant, what's next?
Donald Trump promised during his reelection campaign to make public the last batches of still-classified documents on President Kennedy's assassination.
US President Donald Trump on Thursday signed an executive order directing the declassification and release of thousands of government documents related to the 1963 assassination of President John F Kennedy, as well as the deaths of his brother, Senator Robert F Kennedy, and civil rights leader Dr Martin Luther King Jr.
The order is among a flurry of executive actions Trump took in the first week of his second term. Speaking to reporters, Trump said, “Everything will be revealed.”
The documents have long been central to public intrigue and conspiracy theories.
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Notably, Trump's move comes after he had promised during his reelection campaign to make public the last batches of still-classified documents surrounding President Kennedy's assassination in Dallas, which has transfixed people for decades.
Significance of executive order releasing info on Keneddy, Martin Luther King Jr
Trump’s executive order, one of many in recent weeks, not only has great historical significance but also marks the onset of Trump's administration's promised governance of transparency and public access to sensitive governmental records.
The long-awaited release of these files has been a subject of public demand for decades after several conspiracy theories and speculations arose regarding the death of the former US leaders.
The documents shed light on the details provided by the intelligence services operated at the time and include CIA cables and memos discussing visits by Oswald to the Soviet and Cuban embassies during a trip to Mexico City just weeks before the assassination.
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However, this is not the first time Trump made a promise related to the release of documents on JFK’s assassination but ultimately deferred to requests from intelligence agencies, including the CIA and FBI, citing potential national security concerns.
How will documents be released?
According to AP, the order directs the director of national intelligence and the attorney general to develop a plan within 15 days to release the remaining John F. Kennedy records, and within 45 days for the other two cases.
It was not clear when the records would be released.
What's next for Donald Trump?
With the release of these files, President Trump's push to declassify such controversial records could exemplify his administration's commitment to future narratives about government transparency and the deep state.
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There are still some documents in the JFK collection that researchers don’t believe the president will be able to release.
This includes around 500 documents, including tax returns, that weren’t subject to the 2017 disclosure requirement.
Researchers note that documents have also been destroyed over the decades.
