President Donald Trump ordered to declassify files on the JFK, RFK and MLK assassinations via executive order last week. (ROBERTO SCHMIDT/AFP via Getty Images)
Trump had initially promised to release the last batch of documents during his first term, but such efforts ultimately dissipated. Trump blocked the release of hundreds of records on the assassination following several CIA and FBI appeals.
"I have no choice," Trump said in a memo, where he cited "potentially irreversible harm" to national security if he allowed the records to be released. Trump said at the time the potential harm to U.S. national security, law enforcement or foreign affairs is "of such gravity that it outweighs the public interest in immediate disclosure."
TRUMP SIGNS ORDER TO DECLASSIFY FILES ON JFK, RFK AND MLK ASSASSINATIONS
Former President Joe Biden later released another batch of documents in 2021, as well as in 2022 and 2023. The Biden White House announced in July 2023 that the National Archives and the Records Administration had concluded its review of the JFK documents, making 99% of the material publicly available.
"I have now determined that the continued redaction and withholding of information from records pertaining to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy is not consistent with the public interest and the release of these records is long overdue," Trump's Thursday order states.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., thanked President Donald Trump after the announcement was issued, lauding the president "for taking the first step down the road towards reversing this disastrous trajectory." (Jon Cherry/Getty Images)
JFK's grandson, Jack Schlossberg, also reacted to the declassification news, writing on X that the move was "using JFK as a political prop, when he’s not here to punch back."
"There’s nothing heroic about it," Schlossberg wrote.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Fox News Digital's Louis Casiano, Landon Mion and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Haley Chi-Sing is a Writer for Fox News Digital. You can reach her at @haleychising on X.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/timeline-jfk-files-what-has-happened-since-original-planned-release