Trump Administration Releases FBI Documents on Martin Luther King Jr.

Trump Administration Releases FBI Documents on Martin Luther King Jr.

The Trump administration released over 230,000 pages of previously classified documents related to the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on Monday, July 21, 2025. The massive document dump represents one of the most significant disclosures of government records concerning the civil rights leader's death in decades.

The Release

Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard announced the release, stating it fulfills President Trump's January executive order to declassify records related to the assassinations of John F. Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy, and Martin Luther King Jr. The documents had been under court seal since 1977, originally scheduled to remain classified until 2027.

What's in the files:

  • FBI surveillance records from 1963-1968
  • Internal FBI memos detailing the investigation's progress
  • Discussion of potential leads in the assassination case
  • Information about James Earl Ray's former cellmate who allegedly discussed an assassination plot
  • Foreign evidence from Canadian police regarding Ray's flight from the country

Family Opposition

The release proceeded despite strong opposition from King's family and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), the civil rights organization he co-founded. King's two surviving children, Martin Luther King III and Dr. Bernice A. King, were given advance notice and had teams review the documents before public release.

In a statement, the King children emphasized their father 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." They warned against "attacks on our father's legacy or attempts to weaponize it to spread falsehoods."

Historical Context

The documents shed light on J. Edgar Hoover's FBI surveillance campaign against King and other civil rights leaders. The bureau's COINTELPRO program illegally wiretapped King's phones, bugged his hotel rooms, and used informants to gather information aimed at discrediting him and the broader civil rights movement.

Previous FBI records have already revealed the extent of this surveillance, but these newly released documents may provide additional details about the government's attempts to undermine King's work and reputation during the height of the civil rights era.

Why Now?

President Trump had promised during his campaign to release assassination-related files, specifically stating he would do so "early on" upon returning to office. The administration framed the release as providing Americans with transparency after "nearly 60 years" of secrecy.

The timing also serves as an alternative headline for the Trump administration as it faces criticism over its handling of records related to other sensitive matters, including the Jeffrey Epstein case.

Impact and Analysis

Scholars, historians, and journalists are now examining the documents for new information about King's assassination on April 4, 1968, in Memphis, Tennessee. The release may provide insights into:

  • The FBI's investigative methods and findings
  • Potential conspiracy theories surrounding King's death
  • The extent of government surveillance of civil rights leaders
  • Previously unknown details about James Earl Ray's actions

However, the King family and SCLC have urged caution, emphasizing that the documents must be viewed within their full historical context and warning against the spread of disinformation that could further damage King's legacy.

Looking Forward

This release represents the latest in Trump's commitment to declassifying long-secret government documents. The administration has already released files related to the JFK assassination and some RFK documents, with the King files completing this transparency initiative.

As researchers and the public begin examining these documents, the focus will be on what new insights they provide about one of America's most tragic and consequential assassinations, while respecting the ongoing grief of King's family and the importance of preserving his legacy as a champion of civil rights and nonviolent resistance.


The documents are now publicly available through the National Archives and Records Administration. This story will be updated as new details emerge from the released files.