Declassification of files

Extracted Attributes

• Type

  Governmental Process

• Purpose

  Ceasing protective classification, ensuring accessibility to records of historic value, maintaining public trust, providing public accountability, and increasing government transparency.

• Appeal Body

  Interagency Security Classification Appeals Panel (ISCAP) for classification decisions.

• Process Steps

  An authorized official determines information no longer requires protection, this determination is communicated, and the information is marked as declassified.

• Oversight Body

  Information Security Oversight Office (ISOO) within the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA).

• Governing Authority

  Presidential Executive Orders (e.g., EO 14176, EO 13526) and laws passed by Congress.

• Key Coordinating Body

  National Declassification Center (NDC) within the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA).

• Additional Restrictions

  Declassified records may still contain information withheld from disclosure due to other restrictions not related to classification.

• Standard Declassification Period

  25 years (automatic review by default under Executive Order 13526).

• Exceptions to Automatic Declassification

  Nine narrow exceptions allow information to remain classified after 25 years; two exceptions at 50 years; classifications beyond 75 years require special permission.

Timeline

• The National Declassification Center (NDC) released a listing of 38 declassification projects, comprising 4,077,991 pages processed between January 1, 2024, and March 31, 2024, making these records available for researcher requests. (Source: web_search_results)

  2024-04-11

• Executive Order 14176, titled "Declassification of Records Concerning the Assassinations of President John F. Kennedy, Senator Robert F. Kennedy, and the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.", was signed by Donald Trump. (Source: wikipedia)

  2025-01-23

• John F. Kennedy assassination files were released as mandated by Executive Order 14176. (Source: wikipedia)

  2025-03

• The first batch of Robert F. Kennedy assassination files was released as mandated by Executive Order 14176. (Source: wikipedia)

  2025-04

• The second batch of Robert F. Kennedy assassination files was released as mandated by Executive Order 14176. (Source: wikipedia)

  2025-05

• The third batch of Robert F. Kennedy assassination files was released as mandated by Executive Order 14176. (Source: wikipedia)

  2025-06

• Martin Luther King Jr. assassination files were released as mandated by Executive Order 14176. (Source: wikipedia)

  2025-07

Executive Order 14176

Executive Order 14176, titled "Declassification of Records Concerning the Assassinations of President John F. Kennedy, Senator Robert F. Kennedy, and the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.", is an executive order signed by Donald Trump on January 23, 2025, to declassify records about the assassinations of John F. Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy, and Martin Luther King. The John F. Kennedy assassination files were released in March 2025, the Robert F. Kennedy assassination files were released in April, May, and June 2025, and the Martin Luther King assassination files were released in July 2025.

Web Search Results

• Declassification - Wikipedia

  Declassification is the process of ceasing a protective classification, often under the principle of freedom of information. Procedures for declassification vary by country. Papers may be withheld without being classified as secret, and eventually made available. ## United Kingdom | | | | --- | --- | | (/wiki/File:Wiki_letter_w_cropped.svg) | This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (November 2010) | [...] Executive Order 13526 establishes the mechanisms for most declassifications, within the laws passed by Congress. The originating agency assigns a declassification date, by default 25 years. After 25 years, declassification review is automatic with nine narrow exceptions that allow information to remain as classified. At 50 years, there are two exceptions, and classifications beyond 75 years require special permission. Because of changes in policy and circumstances, agencies are expected to [...] actively review documents that have been classified for fewer than 25 years. They must also respond to Mandatory Declassification Review and Freedom of Information Act "Freedom of Information Act (United States)") requests. The National Archives and Records Administration houses the National Declassification Center to coordinate reviews and Information Security Oversight Office to promulgate rules and enforce quality measures across all agencies. NARA reviews documents on behalf of defunct

• Government Classification and the Mar-a-Lago Documents

  As with classification, declassification is a two-step process. First, an authorized official must determine that the information no longer requires protection. Second, that determination must be communicated so that the protections are removed. Accordingly, when a decision has been made to declassify information, it must be marked as declassified. If the declassification affects an entire category of information, the agency’s classification guide must be updated accordingly. If it is narrower, [...] Information is usually declassified through a process known as “automatic declassification” (which is, in practice, anything but automatic) that takes place after information has been classified for 25 years. However, information may be declassified sooner if it is marked with an earlier declassification date; if the original classification authority who classified the information, their successor or supervisor, or another designated official determines that it no longer meets the standards for [...] For the most part, the rules for classification and declassification are set forth in presidential executive orders, along with regulations issued by the Information Security Oversight Office — an office within the National Archives and Records Administration — implementing those orders. Most presidents, dating back to the beginning of the modern classification system in the 1940s, have issued their own executive orders on classification. Trump was an exception, issuing no order on this

• Declassified Records - National Archives

  During your research, you may come across "withdrawal notices" or forms that indicate a record is restricted and not available to the public. The declassification of records is an important part of the archival process. This process provides continuous protection of classified records ensures the accessibility to records of historic value and helps maintain the public trust by providing public accountability. [...] NARA has several roles concerning declassification and the handling of restricted records. We process, withdraw and store sensitive documents, maintain a classified database, create labels and consults with on-site reviewers from agencies. NARA also processes FOIA requests and the Director of Information Security Oversight Office (ISOO) serves as the Executive Secretary of the Interagency Security Classification Appeals Panel (ISCAP). ISCAP provides further review of classification decisions. [...] You can request access under the mandatory declassification review (MDR) process of Executive Order 13526, as amended, or under the FOIA. If your FOIA request is denied by the Inspector General submit a written appeal to the Archivist. All other denials should be sent the Deputy Archivist. If your MDR request is denied your first appeal is sent to the agency. Further appeals can be made to ISCAP. ## Additional Resources National Declassification Center (NDC) FOIA Executive Order 13526

• Declassification Frequently Asked Questions - Department of Justice

  No. Classification is but one basis for an agency to withhold the disclosure of records or information. A declassified record may still contain information covered by additional restrictions that would require continued withholding of information from disclosure. WHAT IS AN “INTEGRAL FILE BLOCK”? [...] UNDER WHAT CIRCUMSTANCES MAY AN AGENCY EXEMPT RECORDS FROM AUTOMATIC DECLASSIFICATION? To exempt records from automatic declassification, agencies must have the specific authority to extend the duration of classification beyond 25 years in the form of a File Series Exemption and/or an Interagency Security Classification Appeals Panel (ISCAP) approved declassification guide. Information may be considered for exemption if one or more of the following exemption categories apply: [...] Automatic declassification is the declassification of information based upon the occurrence of a specific date or event as determined by the original classification authority; or the expiration of a maximum time frame for the duration of classification established under the Order (25 years). WHY IS AUTOMATIC DECLASSIFICATION IMPORTANT?

• The National Declassification Center

  On April 11, 2024, the National Declassification Center (NDC) released a listing of 38 declassification projects that consists of 4,077,991 pages that completed declassification processing between January 1, 2024, through March 31, 2024. These records are now available for researcher requests. This release consists of textual materials from military and civilian agencies as well as motion pictures. The FY2024-Q2 Release List is available to view or download in PDF and Excel format: