Trump Administration Releases Over 230,000 MLK Assassination Files Amid Family Objections

The Trump administration has released over 230,000 pages of documents related to the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., fulfilling President Trump's promise to increase transparency regarding historically significant assassinations, including those of John F. Kennedy and Robert F. Kennedy. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard highlighted that the files include FBI investigation details, internal memos, and new information about James Earl Ray, the convicted assassin, whose family disputes his guilt. King's family members have expressed mixed reactions: while niece Alveda King praised the transparency, King's children urged the public to approach the files with empathy and reiterated their belief that Ray was not solely responsible. The release also marks the digitization of many records previously sealed or difficult to access, although the extent of new revelations remains unclear. Despite the focus on the MLK files, some public attention remains on the unresolved controversies surrounding Jeffrey Epstein's case. Overall, the release is part of an unprecedented interagency effort to declassify and make public decades-old federal investigations into these critical historical events.