US Releases 240,000 Pages of MLK Files

The Trump administration released over 240,000 pages of previously sealed FBI and CIA documents related to the 1968 assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., posting them online via the National Archives. The files, which include memos, surveillance records, and investigation leads on King's killer James Earl Ray, omit wiretap recordings and reportedly add little new information. Historians observed that most material was already available or offered few new insights. Civil rights leaders and the King family criticized the timing, alleging it was intended to divert attention from demands for the release of Jeffrey Epstein-related files. The King family urged the public to approach the documents with empathy and context, warning against misuse of the contents to harm Dr. King’s legacy. The release fulfills part of President Trump’s executive order on declassifying major historical investigations.