US President Donald Trump signed an order on Thursday directing the declassification of files relating to the assassinations of former president John F. Kennedy, his brother Robert F. Kennedy, and civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., the White House announced on X/Twitter.
In footage shared in the post, Trump can be seen signing the documents at his desk in the Oval Office.
Trump is presented with "an executive order ordering the declassification of files relating to the assassinations" by a man off-camera.
Trump then responds to the order, saying, "That's a big one. A lot of people have been waiting for this for years, for decades."
"Everything will be revealed," Trump said as he signed the order, then holding it up.
President Trump Orders Historic Transparency: JFK, RFK, and MLK Files to be Declassified“This is a big one. A lot of people have been waiting for this for years, for decades. Everything will be revealed.” –President Trump pic.twitter.com/iYfF7huHj9
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) January 23, 2025
Failed attempts to release documents in the past
Previous presidents have made similar pledges, including Trump, to release such documents, but the CIA, Pentagon, and State Department have refused, likely as an effort to protect the identities of confidential sources who may still be alive, according to CNN.