Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard prepares to unveil decades-old classified documents that could shed new light on two of America's most tragic assassinations.
According to Daily Mail, Gabbard announced at a cabinet meeting that secret files concerning the assassinations of Robert F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr. will be released within days, following President Trump's directive to declassify records related to these historical events.
The announcement comes after Trump signed an executive order in January 2025 calling for the declassification of documents pertaining to the Kennedy brothers and MLK Jr. These files, which have remained sealed for decades, contain potentially sensitive information about FBI surveillance and investigation details that could reshape public understanding of these pivotal moments in American history.
The MLK files, sealed since 1977, reportedly contain surveillance tapes and transcripts that could expose the extent of FBI monitoring under J. Edgar Hoover's leadership. The documents might reveal details about the agency's attempts to discredit the civil rights leader through various means, including threatening to expose his personal life.
King's family has expressed concerns about the release, requesting to review the files before they become public. Their primary worry centers on the potential revival of efforts to tarnish King's legacy through the exposure of personal details.
The files could demonstrate how the FBI conducted illegal surveillance operations against King, including the agency's attempts to blackmail him with recordings of alleged extramarital affairs.
Gabbard's announcement regarding the RFK files raises questions about jurisdictional authority, as most investigation records are held by California state authorities. The Los Angeles Police Department led the original investigation, with their records stored in the California State Archives.
While the FBI maintains some files related to RFK's assassination, the majority of crucial documentation remains under state control. Gabbard's authority extends only to federal records, not those held by California.
The release may still provide new insights into the federal investigation of Sirhan Sirhan, the Palestinian man convicted of killing Kennedy in retaliation for his support of Israel following the 1967 Six-Day War.
Gabbard told Trump during the cabinet meeting:
We also have hunters going out, Mr. President, and looking in the storage lockers at FBI and CIA and other agencies specifically to find if there are, if there is anything else that has not been reported. We're actively going out and trying to search out the truth.
When Trump suggested allowing Robert F. Kennedy Jr., his Health and Human Services secretary, to preview his father's files, Kennedy's response, according to Gabbard, was:
Let Bobby see some of this because, you know, it's very personal stuff. I've asked him. His response was 'put it out - the world needs to know the truth.'
The imminent release of classified documents related to the assassinations of Robert F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr. marks a significant moment in American history. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard will oversee the release of these files within days, following President Trump's executive order from January 2025.
While the MLK files may expose controversial FBI surveillance tactics and personal details, the RFK records' impact remains uncertain due to jurisdictional limitations, with most crucial documents held by California state authorities rather than federal agencies.
