President Donald Trump signed an executive order Thursday to declassify remaining files on the John F. Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy, and Martin Luther King Jr. assassinations, pledging transparency. The announcement coincides with his planned trip to California to survey wildfire damage amid ongoing tensions with Governor Gavin Newsom over disaster aid.
What to know:
- Trump's executive order aims to release all records related to the assassinations of JFK, RFK, and MLK Jr., citing public interest.
- The 1992 JFK Records Act required these disclosures by 2017 unless national security concerns justified postponement; Trump previously delayed full release during his first term.
- Trump is scheduled to visit wildfire-affected areas in Los Angeles on Friday, following a stop in North Carolina to address hurricane recovery efforts.
- Trump criticized California's forest management and water policies, linking them to disaster funding conditions—a claim California officials refuted.
- The House recently passed the bipartisan Fix Our Forests Act, aimed at improving wildfire prevention and recovery efforts.
Stay with Newsweek for live updates on Trump's actions and his California visit.
07:30 AM EST
Trump invites Adam Schiff to tour wildfire devastation in Los Angeles
Trump extended an invitation to California Senator Adam Schiff, a longtime political adversary, to join him on Friday as he surveys wildfire damage in Los Angeles. Schiff's office confirmed the offer to CNN but saidthe senator was unable to attend due to prior commitments, including scheduled votes on nominations.
"Senator Schiff greatly appreciates the president's visit to witness the devastation firsthand and regrets being unable to join," a spokesperson for Schiff said, per the outlet. They added that Schiff remains committed to bipartisan efforts to secure necessary support for California's recovery.
The invitation, though surprising given Trump's past sharp criticism of Schiff, may reflect an effort to project a more presidential image during disaster visits. A Trump official told CNN that the goal is to prioritize affected communities over political disputes, despite claiming that the president's criticisms were justified.
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