DOJ seeks earlier release of Martin Luther King Jr. files

The Justice Department has requested an earlier release of surveillance records on Martin Luther King Jr. These records are currently scheduled to be made public in 2027. The interim U.S. attorney for Washington, D.C., Ed Martin, argues that the information should be released sooner due to strong public interest. The FBI had tracked King under director J. Edgar Hoover's orders, fearing he had connections to communism. Reports say that the FBI bugged King's hotel rooms and tapped his phones. The exact contents of the files remain largely unknown, but past disclosures hint at personal details about his life. King's family has expressed a desire to review the files before they are made public. They stated their grief over his assassination continues decades later. Rev. Al Sharpton, a friend of the family, conveyed worries that not all the information may be truthful. Former President Donald Trump signed an executive order for the declassification of records related to King, John F. Kennedy, and Robert F. Kennedy. Trump mentioned that the release of these records is progressing rapidly, assuring everything will be revealed. Last week, the National Archives released documents related to JFK’s assassination, but many reports indicated there was little new information in those documents. There is still uncertainty about the timeline for releasing King’s files or how many records will be included.