Summary
The Trump administration has made public the FBI's records on Martin Luther King Jr., which had been sealed since 1977. Martin Luther King Jr.'s children have asked the public to view these records with empathy and respect pending their review.
Key Facts
- The records total over 240,000 pages and were previously under court seal.
- Martin Luther King's children, Martin III and Bernice, are reviewing the files and have emphasized their personal significance.
- The FBI's records on King were first given to the National Archives in 1977.
- Tulsi Gabbard, Director of National Intelligence, called the release "unprecedented" and praised President Trump for this action.
- The release is part of President Trump's effort to increase transparency, related to previous promises made during his presidential campaign.
- Martin Luther King's family has historically disputed that James Earl Ray acted alone in King's assassination.
- Some civil rights activists criticize the timing of the release, suggesting it may be a distraction from other controversies involving the Trump administration.
