Fact Check: President Donald Trump ordered the release of documents relating to the assassinations of Robert F. Kennedy, President John F. Kennedy, and Martin Luther King Jr. in April 2023.

Fact Check: President Donald Trump ordered the release of documents relating to the assassinations of Robert F. Kennedy, President John F. Kennedy, and Martin Luther King Jr. in April 2023.

June 14, 2025β€’by TruthOrFake AI
βœ—
VERDICT
False

# Fact Check: "President Donald Trump ordered the release of documents relating to the assassinations of Robert F. Kennedy, President John F. Kennedy,...

Fact Check: "President Donald Trump ordered the release of documents relating to the assassinations of Robert F. Kennedy, President John F. Kennedy, and Martin Luther King Jr. in April 2023."

What We Know

The claim states that President Donald Trump ordered the release of documents related to the assassinations of Robert F. Kennedy, John F. Kennedy, and Martin Luther King Jr. in April 2023. However, the timeline of events does not support this assertion. In fact, President Trump signed an Executive Order on January 23, 2025, which directed the declassification of records concerning these assassinations (source-1). This order established a policy for the full and complete release of records related to the JFK assassination within 15 days and for the RFK and MLK records within 45 days.

Additionally, the President John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act of 1992 mandated that all records related to the JFK assassination be released by October 26, 2017, unless a presidential certification justified continued withholding (source-3). President Biden had issued certifications delaying the release of these records in 2021, 2022, and 2023, but there is no record of Trump ordering any release in April 2023 (source-1).

Analysis

The claim is factually incorrect as it misrepresents the timeline and the actions taken by President Trump. The Executive Order that mandated the release of the assassination records was signed in January 2025, not April 2023. This discrepancy is crucial as it indicates that the claim is based on a misunderstanding or misrepresentation of the events surrounding the declassification of these documents.

The sources used to support the claim do not provide any evidence that Trump ordered the release of documents in April 2023. Instead, they confirm that he acted in January 2025, following a prolonged period of delays under previous administrations. The reliability of the sources is high, as they include official government documents and reputable news outlets reporting on the executive order (source-1, source-3).

Conclusion

The claim that "President Donald Trump ordered the release of documents relating to the assassinations of Robert F. Kennedy, President John F. Kennedy, and Martin Luther King Jr. in April 2023" is False. The executive action regarding the release of these documents occurred in January 2025, not in April 2023, which is a significant detail that undermines the accuracy of the claim.

Sources

  1. President Donald J. Trump Orders Declassification of JFK ...
  2. JFK Assassination Records - 2025 Documents Release
  3. Executive Order 14176β€”Declassification of Records ...
  4. Records Related to the Assassination of Senator Robert F. ...
  5. Director Gabbard and Secretary Kennedy Statement on ...
  6. Executive Order 14176
  7. JFK, RFK and MLK assassination files
  8. RFK Assassination: What Newly Released Files Reveal

Have a claim you want to verify? It's 100% Free!

Our AI-powered fact-checker analyzes claims against thousands of reliable sources and provides evidence-based verdicts in seconds. Completely free with no registration required.

πŸ’‘ Try:
"Coffee helps you live longer"
βœ“100% Free
βœ“No Registration
βœ“Instant Results

Comments

Comments

Leave a comment

Loading comments...

More Fact Checks to Explore

Discover similar claims and stay informed with these related fact-checks

Fact Check: President Donald Trump ordered the National Guard and Marines to Los Angeles in October 2023, against the wishes of California Governor Gavin Newsom.
Partially True
🎯 Similar

Fact Check: President Donald Trump ordered the National Guard and Marines to Los Angeles in October 2023, against the wishes of California Governor Gavin Newsom.

Detailed fact-check analysis of: President Donald Trump ordered the National Guard and Marines to Los Angeles in October 2023, against the wishes of California Governor Gavin Newsom.

Jun 15, 2025
Read more β†’
Fact Check: President Donald Trump's administration is increasing deportation efforts in California, including immigration raids at restaurants and traffic stops, as of 2023.
False
🎯 Similar

Fact Check: President Donald Trump's administration is increasing deportation efforts in California, including immigration raids at restaurants and traffic stops, as of 2023.

Detailed fact-check analysis of: President Donald Trump's administration is increasing deportation efforts in California, including immigration raids at restaurants and traffic stops, as of 2023.

Jun 14, 2025
Read more β†’
Fact Check: President Donald Trump celebrated the 250th anniversary of the U.S. armed services during a military parade in Washington, D.C. on June 14, 2023, which coincided with his 79th birthday.
True
🎯 Similar

Fact Check: President Donald Trump celebrated the 250th anniversary of the U.S. armed services during a military parade in Washington, D.C. on June 14, 2023, which coincided with his 79th birthday.

Detailed fact-check analysis of: President Donald Trump celebrated the 250th anniversary of the U.S. armed services during a military parade in Washington, D.C. on June 14, 2023, which coincided with his 79th birthday.

Jun 15, 2025
Read more β†’
Fact Check: Almost 100,000 people marched in Philadelphia during the protests against President Donald Trump on June 14, 2023, according to police estimates.
Partially True

Fact Check: Almost 100,000 people marched in Philadelphia during the protests against President Donald Trump on June 14, 2023, according to police estimates.

Detailed fact-check analysis of: Almost 100,000 people marched in Philadelphia during the protests against President Donald Trump on June 14, 2023, according to police estimates.

Jun 15, 2025
Read more β†’
Fact Check: Tens of thousands of people participated in protests against President Donald Trump in hundreds of American cities on the day of his birthday, June 14, 2023.
Partially True

Fact Check: Tens of thousands of people participated in protests against President Donald Trump in hundreds of American cities on the day of his birthday, June 14, 2023.

Detailed fact-check analysis of: Tens of thousands of people participated in protests against President Donald Trump in hundreds of American cities on the day of his birthday, June 14, 2023.

Jun 15, 2025
Read more β†’
Fact Check: The military parade in Washington, D.C. on June 14, 2023, was part of the 250th anniversary commemorations of the U.S. Army and coincided with President Donald J. Trump's 79th birthday.
True

Fact Check: The military parade in Washington, D.C. on June 14, 2023, was part of the 250th anniversary commemorations of the U.S. Army and coincided with President Donald J. Trump's 79th birthday.

Detailed fact-check analysis of: The military parade in Washington, D.C. on June 14, 2023, was part of the 250th anniversary commemorations of the U.S. Army and coincided with President Donald J. Trump's 79th birthday.

Jun 15, 2025
Read more β†’
Fact Check: President Donald Trump ordered the release of documents relating to the assassinations of Robert F. Kennedy, President John F. Kennedy, and Martin Luther King Jr. in April 2023. | TruthOrFake Blog