Trump Orders Complete Declassification of JFK, RFK, and MLK Assassination Documents
In an unprecedented move, President Donald Trump has signed an executive order mandating the full declassification of documents related to the assassinations of John F. Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy, and Martin Luther King Jr. This decision comes over 60 years after Kennedy's assassination in Dallas on November 22, 1963, which has been surrounded by conspiracy theories and speculation.
For decades, many documents detailing the circumstances of these tragic events remained confidential. Trump's order aims to bring transparency to the American public, asserting that the families of the victims and the citizens deserve access to the truth. He stated, "It is in the national interest that these records be released without delay."
Historically, the release of these records has been restricted under the Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act of 1992, which was intended to have all records made public by October 26, 2017. However, Trump had previously delayed their release in 2017, citing national security concerns following advice from federal agencies.
In his new executive order, Trump has emphasized the necessity of disclosure, asserting that withholding this information is inconsistent with public interest. The FBI and the CIA have been scrutinized in the past over their involvement in the investigations surrounding Oswald, who was named the official assassin of Kennedy, and the subsequent deaths of RFK and MLK.
The executive order sets a timeline for federal officials to prepare the documents for release; a plan for the release concerning Kennedy's assassination is to be submitted within 15 days, while plans for the other two assassinations will be due within 45 days.
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