Long-classified government documents about three of America’s most politically charged assassinations of John F Kennedy, Robert F Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr. are set to be made public. US President Donald Trump on Thursday signed an order related to the declassification of the files. The announcement has sparked fresh interest in the related theories that have gripped the nation for decades.
President Trump has instructed security organisations to create plans for the release of these files. The announcement has reignited debates, conspiracies and hopes for closure surrounding these tragedies that reshaped modern American history. “This is something people have waited on for decades. Everything will be revealed,” Trump said.
Assisnation of President Kennedy
On November 22, 1963, President John F Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Texas. Riding in an open-roof motorcade, the charismatic leader—famed for navigating the Cuban Missile Crisis—was shot as he waved to crowds.
Lee Harvey Oswald was arrested within hours, but two days later, he was fatally shot on live TV by nightclub owner Jack Ruby. The Warren Commission concluded that both men acted alone. However, skeptics have long questioned this, with theories implicating Cuba, the CIA and others.
Kennedy’s death marked a turning point in US history, with countless books and films exploring the circumstances. The forthcoming documents may finally answer lingering questions about how many shooters were involved, how many bullets were fired and whether a larger conspiracy was at play.
Killing of Martin Luther King Jr
Dr King, a civil rights icon, was assassinated on April 4, 1968, in Memphis, Tennessee. As he stood on a motel balcony, preparing to join striking sanitation workers, King was shot in the face.
James Earl Ray confessed and was sentenced to 99 years in prison, but later recanted, claiming he was set up by a mysterious figure named Raoul. Allegations of a broader conspiracy, involving the mafia and Memphis police, have persisted for decades.
A tavern owner and a former FBI agent even claimed Raoul orchestrated King’s death and was tied to the Kennedy assassination. The new files may shed light on these claims and bring clarity to one of America’s darkest days.
Robert F Kennedy’s killing
Just two months after King’s death, Robert F Kennedy, the younger brother of JFK, was assassinated on June 5, 1968, in Los Angeles. A senator and former attorney general, RFK was campaigning for the presidency when Sirhan Sirhan shot him in the kitchen of the Ambassador Hotel.
Sirhan remains imprisoned, but RFK’s son, Robert F Kennedy Jr., has repeatedly asserted his father was killed by someone else, possibly linked to the CIA. The new documents may reveal whether there’s truth to these allegations.
For decades, the full findings of government investigations have been locked away, leaving Americans with speculation instead of answers. The release of these records could provide long-awaited clarity or maybe spark new controversies.