In a sweeping move for government transparency, the Trump administration has released more than 230,000 documents related to the 1968 assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The trove, now available through the National Archives, stems from an executive order signed by President Trump at the start of his second term—mandating the release of records tied to the deaths of MLK, President John F. Kennedy, and Senator Robert F. Kennedy.
The newly unveiled files contain extensive information on the FBI’s investigation, including internal memos, case updates, and reports on James Earl Ray, the man convicted of King’s murder. Among the revelations are details from Ray’s former cellmate, who claimed Ray had discussed a possible assassination plot.
While historians and researchers continue to review the documents, the release has reignited scrutiny of the official narrative. King’s family has long questioned Ray’s conviction, maintaining he was likely set up. In a statement, Martin Luther King III and Dr. Bernice King said the files must be reviewed in light of the FBI’s own “predatory and disinformation-driven” surveillance campaign against their father, orchestrated under J. Edgar Hoover.
“We support transparency,” the King family said, “but we oppose any effort to distort our father’s legacy or weaponize these files for political gain.”
Attorney General Pam Bondi praised the release, calling it a step toward long-overdue accountability: “The American people deserve the truth behind one of our nation’s greatest losses.”
The document drop follows a similar release of JFK assassination records in March. With pressure mounting from Trump’s base, many are also calling on the White House to declassify additional files related to Jeffrey Epstein.
