Trump Releases 240K Pages of Explosive FBI Files on Martin Luther King Jr. Despite Family’s Opposition

The Trump administration has unleashed a torrent of over 240,000 previously classified documents tied to the 1968 assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

This unprecedented release, ordered by President Donald Trump and announced by Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, cracks open a decades-long mystery surrounding one of the most pivotal tragedies in American history.

The files, untouched for nearly 60 years, include FBI investigations, internal memos, and foreign evidence, shedding new light on the probe into James Earl Ray, the man convicted of King’s murder.

But not everyone sees this as a quest for truth.

The announcement came directly from Gabbard, who framed the release as a fulfillment of Trump’s pledge for transparency.

"The American people have waited nearly 60 years to see the full scope of the federal government’s investigation into Dr. King’s assassination," Gabbard stated Monday. "Under President Trump’s leadership, we are ensuring that no stone is left unturned in our mission to deliver complete transparency on this pivotal and tragic event in our nation’s history. I extend my deepest appreciation to the King family for their support."

Attorney General Pamela Bondi echoed that sentiment, emphasizing the government’s commitment to clarity.

"The American people deserve answers decades after the horrific assassination of one of our nation’s great leaders," Bondi declared. "The Department of Justice is proud to partner with Director Gabbard and the ODNI at President Trump’s direction for this latest disclosure."

Yet, the release has sparked sharp division. Dr. King’s children, Bernice and Martin Luther King III, issued a poignant statement, urging restraint as they grapple with the personal toll of revisiting their father’s death.

"We recognize that the release of documents concerning the assassination of our father, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., has long been a subject of interest, captivating public curiosity for decades," the family wrote in a statement. "As the children of Dr. King and Mrs. Coretta Scott King, his tragic death has been an intensely personal grief – a devastating loss for his wife, children, and the granddaughter he never met – an absence our family has endured for over 57 years. We ask those who engage with the release of these files to do so with empathy, restraint, and respect for our family’s continuing grief."

They also reiterated their belief that James Earl Ray was not solely responsible, if at all, pointing to a 1999 civil case suggesting a broader conspiracy.

The King family’s stance is not isolated. The Southern Christian Leadership Conference, co-founded by Dr. King and other civil rights figures, has condemned the release, alleging it reopens old wounds and exposes the FBI’s invasive surveillance of King under J. Edgar Hoover.

The King children detailed this in their statement, stating, "He was relentlessly targeted by an invasive, predatory, and deeply disturbing disinformation and surveillance campaign orchestrated by J. Edgar Hoover through the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The intent of the government’s COINTELPRO campaign was not only to monitor, but to discredit, dismantle and destroy Dr. King’s reputation and the broader American Civil Rights Movement. These actions were not only invasions of privacy, but intentional assaults on the truth — undermining the dignity and freedoms of private citizens who fought for justice, designed to neutralize those who dared to challenge the status quo."

Not all voices align with the King family. Alveda King, Dr. King’s niece and an outspoken conservative, broke ranks, praising Trump’s decision.

"I am grateful to President Trump for his transparency," she said.

Meanwhile, civil rights leader Rev. Al Sharpton called the move a political ploy, warning, "Trump releasing the MLK assassination files is not about transparency or justice. It’s a desperate attempt to distract people from the firestorm engulfing Trump over the Epstein files and the public unraveling of his credibility among the MAGA base."

The King Center, led by Bernice King, also weighed in, framing the release as poorly timed, contending, "It is unfortunate and ill-timed, given the myriad of pressing issues and injustices affecting the United States and the global society. This righteous work should be our collective response to renewed attention on the assassination of a great purveyor of true peace."

The release, a treasure trove for scholars and historians, follows Trump’s earlier declassification of JFK and RFK assassination records, fulfilling a campaign promise.

But as the nation digs into this new archive, questions linger: Will these files finally unravel the mysteries surrounding Dr. King’s death, or will they deepen the divide over his legacy? For now, the documents are public, but the truth remains elusive.