MLK Jr. Family Responds to Declassification of Assassination Files With One Request

During his victory rally on Jan. 19, 2025, held just hours before being sworn in as the 47th president, Donald Trump announced that he would release classified documents related to the assassinations of Martin Luther King Jr., John F. Kennedy (JFK), and Robert F. Kennedy (RFK). "In the coming days, we are going to make public remaining records relating to the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy, his brother Robert Kennedy, as well as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr."

This move aims to bridge the gap between the American people and the government, amidst widespread distrust. MLK Jr.'s family has since responded to Trump’s pledge for transparency, sharing their thoughts on what they hope will come from the release of these documents. Here's what they had to say.

The family of MLK Jr. released a joint statement on Jan. 23, 2025, via X (formerly Twitter), responding to Trump's pledge to declassify documents related to the 1968 assassination of MLK Jr. The assassination was carried out by James Earl Ray, who received a 99-year prison sentence after his arrest.

The statement began, "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."

It continued, "For us, the assassination of our father is a deeply personal family loss that we have endured over the last 56 years." The family then made one specific request: to review the files before they are publicly released. "We hope to be provided the opportunity to review the files as a family prior to its public release," the statement read.

They also clarified that they wouldn't be taking any interviews as of yet "as they await further information."

MLK Jr. is survived by two of his four children: Martin Luther King III and Bernice Albertine King. His other daughter, Yolanda Denise King, passed away in 2007, and his son, Dexter Scott King, passed away in 2024.

Trump has already signed the executive order permitting the declassification of documents related to MLK Jr.'s assassination, sharing a clip of the signing on Jan. 23, 2025, to Truth Social. In the video, after being briefed on the contents of the order, Trump says, "That's a big one." He adds, "A lot of people have been waiting for this for years, for decades," and follows with, "And everything will be revealed. OK." He then requested that the pen be given to Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (RFK Jr.).

However, some concerns have arisen because certain MLK Jr. files remain sealed. Transcripts containing conversations between MLK Jr. and his associates, after his phone and home were tapped with FBI permission from then-Attorney General Robert Kennedy, were sealed for 50 years per a 1977 court order. These files aren’t set to be opened until 2027, according to Smithsonian Magazine. It remains unclear how Trump plans to navigate this or whether his order covers these transcripts.