The Trump administration releases over 230,000 previously classified files on the Martin Luther King Jr. assassination.

Historic Disclosure of King Assassination Records

In a sweeping move toward government transparency, the Trump administration has made public more than 230,000 previously classified files related to the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The release, announced by Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, fulfills an executive order by President Donald Trump aimed at shedding light on the federal government’s decades-long investigation into one of the nation’s darkest chapters.

“The American people have waited nearly 60 years to see the full scope of the federal government’s investigation into Dr. King’s assassination,” Gabbard stated. “Under President Trump’s leadership, we are ensuring that no stone is left unturned in our mission to deliver complete transparency on this pivotal and tragic event in our nation’s history. I extend my deepest appreciation to the King family for their support.”

The documents, now available via the National Archives, include details about the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s probe into King’s death, internal FBI memos, investigative leads, and correspondence about the case’s progress. Some files cover discussions between James Earl Ray and his former cellmate regarding the alleged assassination plot, and there is also foreign evidence, including reports from Canadian authorities about Ray’s flight from the country following the assassination.

King Family Urges Respect as Records Go Public

King’s children, Bernice and Martin Luther King III, released a statement ahead of the disclosures, emphasizing the ongoing personal impact of their father’s death. “We recognize that the release of documents concerning the assassination of our father, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., has long been a subject of interest, captivating public curiosity for decades,” the statement read. “As the children of Dr. King and Mrs. Coretta Scott King, his tragic death has been an intensely personal grief – a devastating loss for his wife, children, and the granddaughter he never met – an absence our family has endured for over 57 years. We ask those who engage with the release of these files to do so with empathy, restraint, and respect for our family’s continuing grief.”

The King family had previously opposed the release but acknowledged the public’s desire for answers. Their appeal comes as the country revisits the 1968 assassination, which saw the civil rights icon gunned down outside his Memphis hotel room on April 4, 1968. The newly released records are expected to reignite discussion about the circumstances and investigation of the case.

Attorney General Pamela Bondi also emphasized the historic nature of the release, noting, “The Department of Justice is proud to partner with Director Gabbard and the ODNI at President Trump’s direction for this latest disclosure.”

Gabbard reported that more than 100 government employees worked “around the clock” to scan and review the material ahead of the publication. She told President Trump during an April cabinet meeting that many documents had never been seen or digitized before, underscoring the significance of the disclosure.

The release is part of a broader initiative that also includes records related to the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy and Senator Robert F. Kennedy. For those seeking to review the newly declassified King files, they are now accessible to the public at www.archives.gov.