Executive Order Fulfills Campaign Promise, Sparking Debate Over Transparency and Privacy

Washington, D.C. — The Trump administration announced today the release of over 230,000 pages of previously classified documents related to the 1968 assassination of civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., marking a significant step in fulfilling President Donald Trump’s campaign pledge to declassify records surrounding historic assassinations. The release, overseen by Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, includes investigative notes, interviews with individuals connected to the assassin James Earl Ray, and details of interactions with foreign intelligence services during the manhunt for Ray, according to a statement from Gabbard’s office.

The documents, now available on the National Archives website, were released in accordance with an executive order signed by President Trump on January 23, 2025, which mandated the declassification of records related to the assassinations of Dr. King, President John F. Kennedy, and Senator Robert F. Kennedy. “The American people deserve answers decades after the horrific assassination of one of our nation’s great leaders,” said Attorney General Pam Bondi in a statement, emphasizing the public’s right to transparency.

However, the release has sparked controversy, particularly due to opposition from Dr. King’s family. Bernice King and Martin Luther King III, the civil rights leader’s surviving children, expressed concern over the potential inclusion of FBI surveillance records, which they fear could revive discredited smears against their father orchestrated by former FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover. The King family had requested the opportunity to review the files privately before their public release, a request the Trump administration declined, citing no “animus toward the family” but prioritizing public access, according to a White House official.

The documents stem from the FBI’s investigation into King’s assassination on April 4, 1968, at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee, where James Earl Ray, a convicted felon and white nationalist, was identified as the lone gunman. Ray pleaded guilty in 1969 and was sentenced to 99 years in prison, though he later recanted his confession, fueling decades of conspiracy theories. Members of the King family have long questioned Ray’s sole culpability, alleging a broader conspiracy possibly involving the FBI, which conducted extensive surveillance on King through its COINTELPRO program.

The newly released files include previously unreleased details about the FBI’s pursuit of Ray, who fled the country after the assassination and was captured in London two months later. While some hope the documents will shed light on lingering questions, others, including the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, have raised concerns about the release of potentially sensitive FBI surveillance records, sealed by a federal judge in 1977 until 2027. A federal judge in Washington, D.C., had been considering an early release of these materials following Trump’s executive order, with a hearing in June 2025 weighing privacy concerns against public interest.

Dr. Alveda King, niece of Martin Luther King Jr., praised the release, stating, “My uncle lived boldly in pursuit of truth and justice, and his enduring legacy of faith continues to inspire Americans to this day.” However, Bernice King and Martin Luther King III urged the public to approach the documents with “empathy, restraint, and respect for our family’s continuing grief,” emphasizing the personal toll of revisiting their father’s assassination.

The release has reignited public interest in King’s assassination, with some hoping for clarity on conspiracy allegations, while others fear it may amplify misinformation or tarnish King’s legacy. The Trump administration’s move comes amid broader efforts to declassify records, including those related to the Kennedy assassinations, though it has faced criticism for not addressing demands for transparency in other high-profile cases, such as those involving Jeffrey Epstein.

As historians, researchers, and the public begin to sift through the extensive archive, the release marks a pivotal moment in the ongoing quest for truth about one of America’s most tragic losses. The National Archives has made the documents accessible online, inviting scrutiny and reflection on a case that continues to resonate nearly six decades later.