King Family Responds to President Trump’s Executive Order to Declassify Assassination Files
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The family of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. has issued a statement in response to President Donald Trump’s executive order to declassify files related to the assassinations of Dr. King, John F. Kennedy, and Robert F. Kennedy.
In the January 23 order, President Trump directed the FBI and other agencies to release all documents related to the assassinations, with a specific timeline for disclosure. The files related to John F. Kennedy must be released within 15 days, while documents concerning Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy are to be released within 45 days. Trump emphasized that no national security concerns should arise from the release of these documents.
The president shared his views in the Oval Office, saying, “Everything will be revealed.”
King Family’s Statement
The King family responded to the news with a statement issued via X (formerly Twitter) on January 23. The statement reflects the family’s grief and anticipation of the document release.
“Today, our family has learned that President Trump has ordered the declassification of the remaining records pertaining to the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy, his brother Robert F. Kennedy, and our father, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. For us, the assassination of our father is a deeply personal family loss that we have endured over the last 56 years. We hope to be provided the opportunity to review the files as a family prior to its public release,” the statement reads.
Public Reactions
Social media users have expressed mixed reactions to Trump’s executive order. Some, like Instagram user @envyerica, jokingly commented on Trump’s penchant for signing documents, writing, “He wakes up every day thinking ‘what can I sign today’ lol.” Others, like @kyronlauren1, voiced discontent with the association between Trump and the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday, commenting, “Trump becoming president on MLK day still doesn’t sit right with me 🙄.”
Several users took the opportunity to question the scope of the executive order, with @bryenglass suggesting, “How about the Epstein files. Betcha he won’t do that,” while @travelsbyeb asked, “What about Malcolm X? Because we know the government played a part in it.”
Others, such as @theyysay_sheay, echoed sentiments of unity, saying, “This sounds like African Americans need to stick together more than ever before.”
The Broader Context
While Trump’s decision has sparked reactions across social media, it also raises questions about how the declassification of these files might shed new light on the events surrounding the assassinations. For the King family, this move offers an opportunity for transparency and potential closure, though the family has requested the chance to review the documents privately before they are released to the public.
