The Trump administration on Monday released over 230,000 previously classified pages related to the 1968 assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., ending nearly five decades of secrecy surrounding the case.
Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, who announced the release, described the move as a historic step towards government transparency. The documents, sealed under court order since 1977, include FBI reports, internal memos, and testimonies tied to the plot that led to King’s death.
“The American people have waited nearly sixty years to see the full scope of the investigation into Dr. King’s assassination,” Gabbard said, adding that the files had been “collecting dust” for too long.
However, the release has stirred both curiosity and controversy, especially given its timing amid heightened scrutiny of high-profile legal battles involving former President Trump.
King’s family, in a statement, acknowledged the public interest but urged “empathy and respect,” stressing that the civil rights leader’s assassination remains deeply personal. The family also reiterated their long-standing position that James Earl Ray, who was convicted for the killing, did not act alone.
With the FBI’s sealed memos now made public, fresh attention is expected on the question that has lingered for decades: who really killed Martin Luther King Jr.?
The files are expected to be reviewed by journalists, historians, and legal experts in the coming days.
