The Donald Trump administration released FBI records related to the assassination of Reverend King on the 21st (local time). The newly released materials exceed 240,000 pages, marking approximately 50 years since they were sealed by a court order in 1977.
According to the Associated Press, the Trump administration decided to make the information public despite opposition from the family of Martin Luther King Jr. and the civil rights organization he led.
Reverend King's children, Martin Luther King III and Bernice King, issued a statement saying it was "a matter that brought deep sorrow" and urged that the files be viewed in light of the entire historical context.
They said, "Our father became a target of a intrusive and predatory surveillance campaign organized by J. Edgar Hoover through the FBI, which was intended to undermine the dignity of a citizen fighting for justice, going beyond mere invasion of privacy."
The family has opposed the release of records for fear that information related to Reverend King's private life, collected through illegal surveillance by the FBI, will be misused for defamation.
This release is an issue that President Trump promised since his candidacy.
He vowed to release all confidential records related to former President John F. Kennedy (JFK), former Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy (RFK), and the assassination of Reverend King.
However, there are criticisms that this release of records is a "political smokescreen" to cover up other controversies.
In a context where the Trump administration is facing criticism from its supporters regarding the handling of files related to sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, it is interpreted that the release of the Reverend King's files was intended to shift public attention.
Black civil rights leader Reverend Al Sharpton noted, "This is a desperate attempt by Trump, who is losing the trust of his supporters due to the Epstein file issue, to divert public attention," adding, "It is not a decision for transparency or justice."
Reverend King was shot and killed by James Earl Ray on April 4, 1968, in Memphis, Tennessee. Ray initially confessed to the crime but later recanted while claiming his innocence until his death in prison in 1998.
The King family has claimed, "We do not believe the government's announcement that Ray acted alone, and there is a huge conspiracy behind the assassination."