Trump administration releases thousands of Martin Luther King assassination files

The Trump administration has released over 230,000 files from the National Archives relating to the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Still, historians are warning not to expect any major revelations from the newly declassified documents.

The release follows a promise by President Donald Trump to provide transparency regarding several high-profile cases in which the public has expressed doubts about the official versions of events.

Those cases involve the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy, his brother Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, Dr. Martin Luther King and the suicide of Jeffery Epstein.

“The American people have waited nearly sixty years to see the full scope of the federal government’s investigation into Dr. King’s assassination,” said Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Tulsi Gabbard.

“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.”

Not included in the release are FBI surveillance records of King, which will not be released until 2027.

Prior to the release of the new information, the King family had an opportunity to review all of the files.

Some members of the King family expressed concern that new information in the case, if viewed out of context, could damage Dr. King’s legacy.

“The release of these files must be viewed within their full historical context,” said a statement from King’s surviving children, Bernice King and Martin Luther King III.

His children warned the files contained information from government surveillance operations designed to discredit the slain civil rights leader.

“The intent of the government’s COINTELPRO campaign was not only to monitor, but to discredit, dismantle and destroy Dr. King’s reputation and the broader American Civil Rights Movement,” the statement added.

The King family fears the release could revive J. Edgar Hoover’s efforts to discredit their father’s legacy through invasive surveillance and disinformation, reports the Associated Press.

The FBI illegally targeted King with wiretaps, surveillance and other harassment, including a 1964 letter urging him to commit suicide, allowing the FBI to “promote someone” else as leader “of the Negro people.”

The family also reiterated its belief convicted assassin James Earl Ray was not the sole killer, suggesting a broader conspiracy possibly involving government agencies, which fuels their skepticism about the release, the AP writes.

However, one King family member thanked the Trump administration for releasing the records.

“I am grateful to President Trump and DNI Gabbard for delivering on their pledge of transparency in the release of these documents on the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr.,” Dr. Alveda King said in a statement released by the DNI’s office.

“My uncle lived boldly in pursuit of truth and justice, and his enduring legacy of faith continues to inspire Americans to this day.”

The New York Times framed the release of the 60-year-old documents as part of an attempt to distract from the Trump administration’s failure to release the files on deceased financier and convicted sex offender Jeffery Epstein.

Others complained the manner in which the files were released was difficult to digest and argued the information would contain nothing to shed light on the assassination.

“The MLK document dump is a masterclass in how NOT to do transparency: no searchable PDFs, no index, no list of new vs old releases, no unredacted highlights,” said Gerald Posner, an author who’s made a living attempting to debunk assassination conspiracies.

“Technically public, practically impenetrable. I am grateful for the doc release but it could have been so much better.”

The new documents often are just old newspaper clippings of coverage and documents about the international manhunt for MLK’s assassin, Posner said.

“These files, [including] all the fake leads that poured in, will likely get reported as ‘news’ once again,” he said.