Deadline to submit release plan proposal for RFK, MLK files

Sunday marked the second deadline in an ongoing effort to release the RFK and MLK assassination files, following the recent controversy surrounding the highly-anticipated release of the Epstein files by the Department of Justice. In January, President Donald Trump issued an executive order to declassify files related to the assassinations of former President John F. Kennedy, his brother Robert F. Kennedy, and civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. The Director of National Intelligence (DNI) and other officials were expected to submit their proposed release plans for the RFK and MLK files on March 9, after previously submitting plans for the JFK files by a Feb. 7 deadline.

The release plan deadline for the RFK and MLK files comes on the heels of the Justice Department’s release of a batch of Jeffrey Epstein files in late February. However, many of the documents that were publicized had already been released during the federal criminal trial of Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s former partner and convicted accomplice. The lack of new material in the Epstein files sparked criticism of the Trump administration’s handling of the documents, raising questions about what the RFK and MLK files may contain.

Gerald Posner, author of “Case Closed,” expressed his belief that while there may be new information in the RFK and MLK files, it is unlikely to drastically change our understanding of the cases. President Trump had promised to declassify the documents upon entering his second term, stating during his campaign that it was time for the American people to know the truth about the assassinations.

Following Trump’s executive order, the FBI conducted a new search for records related to the JFK assassination, uncovering approximately 2400 newly inventoried and digitized records. However, in the aftermath of the Epstein file release, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi accused federal investigators in New York of withholding thousands of pages of Epstein documents. Bondi sent a letter to FBI Director Kash Patel, questioning whether the DOJ had received the full set of documents and ultimately receiving a “truckload” of files following a deadline she imposed on the agency.

The release of the RFK and MLK files is eagerly anticipated as the deadline approaches, with many hoping for new insights into these historic events. Stay tuned for updates on this developing story.