'King FBI Files' Unsealed After 60 Years: Family Protests, Allegations of Issue Cover-Up Emerge

First Disclosure in Nearly 50 Years
Documents Released Despite Opposition from King's Family

The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump has released FBI records related to the assassination of Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. The materials disclosed by the administration amount to more than 230,000 pages, marking the first time they have been unsealed in nearly 50 years since a court order in 1977. On July 22, Yonhap News, citing international outlets such as AP and CNN, reported that the Trump administration released the documents despite opposition from King’s family and the civil rights organizations he led.

Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard stated, "For nearly 60 years, the American people have awaited the federal government’s comprehensive investigative records regarding the assassination of this civil rights leader," adding, "In our mission to ensure full transparency about this significant and tragic event in our nation’s history, we will leave no stone unturned." Gabbard explained that the released materials, which exceed 230,000 pages, were subject to "minimal redactions for privacy reasons only."

The late Reverend Martin Luther King. Photo by AP and Yonhap News Agency

Previously, King’s family had opposed the release of the records out of concern that information about King’s private life, collected through illegal FBI surveillance, could be used to defame him. King’s children, Martin Luther King III and Bernice King, issued a statement describing the release as "a matter of deep sorrow" and urged the public to "review the files with consideration for the full historical context." They also stated, "Our father was targeted by the intrusive and predatory surveillance campaign led by J. Edgar Hoover through the FBI," adding, "This was not merely an invasion of privacy but a deliberate attempt to undermine the dignity of a citizen who fought for justice." They continued, "We ask those involved in the release of these files to approach the matter with empathy, restraint, and respect for our family’s ongoing grief."

Criticism Over Document Release as 'Epstein Scandal Cover-Up'

Some have criticized the release of these records as a "political smokescreen" intended to distract from other controversies. Facing criticism from its base over the handling of files related to sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, the Trump administration is accused of releasing the King files to divert public attention.

This document release follows an executive order signed by President Trump shortly after his inauguration in January. Photo by UPI and Yonhap News

Black civil rights activist Reverend Al Sharpton commented, "President Trump, who is losing the trust of his supporters over the Epstein file issue, is making a desperate attempt to redirect public attention," adding, "This is not a decision for transparency or justice." Reverend King was fatally shot by racist James Earl Ray in Memphis, Tennessee, on April 4, 1968. However, Ray, who initially confessed to the crime, later recanted and maintained his innocence until his death in prison in 1998. King’s family has consistently stated, "We do not believe the government’s assertion that Ray acted alone and have long maintained that there was a larger conspiracy behind the assassination."

This document release follows an executive order signed by President Trump shortly after his inauguration in January. During his candidacy, President Trump pledged to release all classified records related to the assassinations of former President John F. Kennedy (JFK), former Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy (RFK), and Reverend King. Subsequently, President Trump released JFK assassination records in March and some RFK records in April. However, according to AP, it remains unclear whether the newly released materials will reveal any new facts about King’s life and death.