Trump orders release of last JFK, RFK, King assassination files

WASHINGTON — 

U.S. President Donald Trump ordered the declassification Thursday of the past concealed files connected the assassination of the precocious U.S. President John F. Kennedy, a lawsuit that inactive fuels conspiracy theories much than 60 years aft his death.

Trump signed an enforcement bid that volition besides merchandise documents connected the 1960s assassinations of JFK's younger brother, Robert F. Kennedy, and civilian rights person Martin Luther King Jr.

"That's a large one, huh? A batch of radical person been waiting for this for years, for decades," Trump told reporters arsenic helium signed the bid successful the Oval Office of the White House.

After signing the order, Trump passed the pen helium utilized to an aide, saying, "Give that to RFK Jr.," JFK's nephew and the existent president's nominee to go caput of the Department of Health and Human Services.

The bid Trump signed requires the "full and implicit release" of the JFK files, without redactions that helium accepted backmost successful 2017 erstwhile releasing astir of the documents.

"It is successful the nationalist involvement to yet merchandise each records related to these assassinations without delay," the bid said.

Trump had antecedently promised to merchandise the past of the files, astir precocious astatine his inauguration connected Monday.

The U.S. National Archives has released tens of thousands of records successful caller years related to the November 22, 1963, assassination of President Kennedy but held thousands back, citing nationalist information concerns.

It said astatine the clip of the latest large-scale release, successful December 2022, that 97% of the Kennedy records — which full 5 cardinal pages — had present been made public.

The Warren Commission that investigated the shooting of the charismatic 46-year-old president determined that it was carried retired by a erstwhile Marine sharpshooter, Lee Harvey Oswald, acting alone.

But that ceremonial decision has done small to quell speculation that a much sinister crippled was down Kennedy's execution successful Dallas, Texas, and the dilatory merchandise of the authorities files has added substance to assorted conspiracy theories.

A motion to RFK Jr.

Trump's determination is partially a motion to 1 of the astir salient backers of those conspiracies — Robert F. Kennedy Jr. himself.

RFK Jr. said successful 2023 determination was "overwhelming grounds the CIA was involved" successful his uncle JFK's execution and "very convincing" grounds the bureau was besides down the 1968 assassination of his ain father, Robert F. Kennedy.

The erstwhile lawyer wide was killed portion campaigning for the Democratic information for president. Sirhan Sirhan, a Palestinian-born Jordanian, was convicted of his murder.

Thousands of John Kennedy assassination-related documents from the National Archives were released during Trump's archetypal word successful office, but helium besides held immoderate backmost connected nationalist information grounds.

Then-President Joe Biden said astatine the clip of the December 2022 documents merchandise that a "limited" fig of files would proceed to beryllium held backmost astatine the petition of unspecified "agencies."

Previous requests to withhold documents person travel from the CIA and FBI.

Kennedy scholars person said the documents inactive held by the archives are improbable to incorporate immoderate bombshell revelations oregon enactment to remainder the rampant conspiracy theories astir the assassination of the 35th U.S. president.

Oswald, who had astatine 1 constituent defected to the Soviet Union, was changeable to decease 2 days aft sidesplitting Kennedy by a nightclub owner, Jack Ruby, arsenic helium was being transferred from the metropolis jail.

Hundreds of books and movies specified arsenic the 1991 Oliver Stone movie "JFK" person fueled the conspiracy industry, pointing the digit astatine Cold War rivals Russia oregon Cuba, the Mafia and adjacent Kennedy's vice president, Lyndon Johnson.

King was assassinated successful April 1968 successful Memphis, Tennessee.

James Earl Ray was convicted of the execution and died successful situation successful 1998, but King's children person expressed doubts successful the past that Ray was the assassin.