– U.S. President Donald Trump has ordered the declassification of the remaining secret files surrounding the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, a move that could shed new light on one of the most enduring mysteries of the 20th century. The decision also includes the release of documents related to the 1960s assassinations of Kennedy’s younger brother, Robert F. Kennedy, and civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr.
Trump signed the executive order in the Oval Office, declaring that the move would fulfill a long-awaited promise. “That’s a big one, huh? A lot of people have been waiting for this for years, for decades,” he said, adding, “Everything will be revealed.”
As part of the signing ceremony, Trump passed the pen he used to an aide, joking, “Give that to RFK Jr.,” referring to Robert F. Kennedy Jr., JFK’s nephew and the current nominee for the Department of Health and Human Services.
The executive order mandates the “full and complete release” of the JFK files, which had been subject to redactions when most of the documents were made public in 2017. The order emphasizes that the national interest demands these records be disclosed without delay.
Trump had previously pledged to release the final batch of files, with a promise made during his inauguration. The move to release the documents adds to the tens of thousands of pages already made public by the U.S. National Archives, which had been releasing records related to JFK’s assassination in stages over recent years. As of December 2022, 97% of the records had been made available, but several thousand remained withheld due to national security concerns.
The Warren Commission, which investigated the November 22, 1963, assassination of Kennedy, concluded that Lee Harvey Oswald, a former Marine, acted alone in the murder. However, this conclusion has not stopped a surge of conspiracy theories, many suggesting that other forces may have been involved.
Trump’s move is seen as a gesture to Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has long supported these conspiracy theories. In 2023, RFK Jr. claimed there was “overwhelming evidence” that the CIA played a role in JFK’s assassination, and he suggested that the agency may also have been involved in his father’s 1968 killing.
The release of files also touches on the deaths of Robert F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr. While Sirhan Sirhan was convicted of killing RFK, there has been persistent doubt, particularly from King’s family, about the identity of his assassin.
Trump’s decision follows a prior release of documents during his first term, though some were withheld on national security grounds. The current declassification could put to rest—or fuel—further speculation surrounding these high-profile deaths.
