Trump administration releases Martin Luther King Jr. assassination files

WASHINGTON -- US President Donald Trump's Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard announced on Monday that the administration has released over 230,000 pages of documents related to the assassination of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. (MLK).

The related files were released after nearly 60 years of questions surrounding the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., Gabbard said in a post on social media platform X.

"The documents include details about the FBI's investigation into the assassination of MLK, discussion of potential leads, internal FBI memos detailing the progress of the case, information about James Earl Ray's former cellmate who stated he discussed with Ray an alleged assassination plot, and more," according to Gabbard.

On Jan 23, three days after taking office, Trump signed an executive order to declassify any remaining files from the assassinations of former President John F. Kennedy, his brother Robert F. Kennedy, and MLK.

MLK stands as one of the most prominent figures in the American civil rights movement. He is widely celebrated for his commitment to nonviolent campaigns against racial segregation and inequality, as well as his famous "I Have a Dream" speech.