"Time for the Truth": Trump Signs Order to Unseal Assassination Files Of JFK and Others

US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order mandating the declassification of records related to the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy, Senator Robert F. Kennedy, and the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Trump said that it is time for the American public to uncover the "truth" behind these decades-old events.

In a statement accompanying the executive order, the White House remarked, “Providing Americans with the truth after six decades of secrecy.” The statement further noted, “The Executive Order establishes the policy that, more than 50 years after these assassinations, the victims' families and the American people deserve the truth.”

The order specifically instructs the Director of National Intelligence and other relevant officials to present a plan for the complete release of all John F. Kennedy assassination records within 15 days. Additionally, it directs an immediate review of records related to the assassinations of Robert F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr., with a detailed release plan to be submitted within 45 days.

This move builds upon Trump’s earlier efforts during his first term, where he directed agencies to disclose more information about the Kennedy assassination. Under the 1992 President John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act, all records pertaining to the JFK assassination were required to be released by 2017 unless their disclosure posed identifiable harm to national security, intelligence operations, law enforcement, or foreign relations.

In 2017 and 2018, Trump had ordered agencies to reevaluate redactions and disclose previously withheld information. However, subsequent delays under President Joe Biden in 2021, 2022, and 2023 postponed full disclosure.

Trump criticized the continued withholding of JFK-related records, calling it “not in the public interest” and “long overdue.” He also highlighted the importance of declassifying records related to Robert F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr., stating that doing so is in the "public interest."

Notably, releasing the JFK assassination files has been a long-standing campaign promise for Trump. In June 2024, he reaffirmed this commitment, stating, “When I return to the White House, I will declassify and unseal all JFK assassination-related documents. It’s been 60 years—time for the American people to know the TRUTH!”

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