(NewsNation) — President Donald Trump signed an executive order that will declassify any remaining files related to the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr.
The assassination of JFK in 1963 and of RFK and King in 1968 have long been the subject of conspiracy theories regarding the perpetrators and motives.
While some files were previously declassified, a number have remained unavailable to the public, stoking additional rumors about what really happened.
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Why were the files classified?
The majority of files on the assassinations have been made public in the decades since they occurred.
However, the National Archives has kept some files under seal, citing the need to protect the identity of law enforcement and intelligence informants who are still living and could be subject to threats.
Some of those people are foreign and live outside the U.S., which would make it difficult for the government to protect them if they were revealed.
The JFK files also include the locations of CIA stations and safehouses, some of which may still be in use.
Why do people want the files released?
All three assassination attempts have been the subject of conspiracy theories for decades regarding the perpetrators and motivations.
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Many people have accused the U.S. government, particularly the CIA, of being involved.
What happened during the John F. Kennedy assassination?
President John F. Kennedy was shot while riding in an open-top car as part of a motorcade in Texas on Nov. 22, 1963. Lee Harvey Oswald was arrested for killing JFK by shooting from the Texas School Book Depository nearby. Oswald never went to trial because he was shot by Jack Ruby while being transferred from the city jail to a county jail.
There were multiple investigations into the Kennedy assassination, with the ultimate conclusion finding that Oswald was the shooter and he acted alone. However, many questioned the rushed nature of the investigations and pointed to what they have said is conflicting evidence.
A wide range of conspiracy theories exist about the JFK assassination. They range from theories that Oswald was one of a number of co-conspirators to ones that say he was an innocent patsy set up by the real perpetrators. People have suggested the bullets came from a grassy knoll nearby in addition to or instead of the Depository.
Those accused of being behind the assassination include the CIA, the FBI, the U.S. military, the Mafia, Vice President Lyndon Johnson, Cuban leader Fidel Castro and the KGB, among others.
What happened during the Robert F. Kennedy assassination?
Robert F. Kennedy was shot by Sirhan Sirhan on June 5, 1968, during a campaign event at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles. He was killed while walking through the kitchen hallway to greet workers as he exited the building.
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Sirhan admitted to killing Kennedy, and his strong anti-Zionist and pro-Palestinian beliefs are believed to be part of his motivation.
As with his brother’s death, RFK’s death prompted conspiracy theories, including one suggesting the CIA was behind the assassination. Other theories included the idea of a second gunman, a theory espoused by his son Robert F. Kennedy Jr., now nominated to serve as secretary of Health and Human Services for the Trump administration.
What happened during the Martin Luther King Jr. assassination?
Martin Luther King Jr. was shot on April 4, 1968, at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee. James Earl Ray pleaded guilty to killing King but later tried to withdraw his guilty plea.
Conspiracy theories have circulated about King’s death, in part prompted by Ray’s claims that his confession had been forced and the revelation of illegal surveillance of King by the FBI and the CIA. The FBI also allegedly attempted to get King to commit suicide.
Some in King’s family also believe that the government and possibly the Mafia were involved in the assassination and that Ray was set up to take the fall.
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The United States House Select Committee on Assassinations determined in 1979 that there was a likelihood Ray acted for monetary gain and that there was likely a conspiracy behind the shooting. The committee, however, said it was likely originating from white supremacist groups rather than the government.
Why is Trump declassifying them?
During his campaign, Trump pledged to release the records, saying it was time for people to know the truth about what happened.
