Executive Summary
- The Trump administration has issued a high-priority directive for FBI offices in Washington, D.C., and New York to immediately search for records related to Amelia Earhart’s disappearance.
- President Trump previously announced his intention to declassify and release all government records concerning Amelia Earhart’s final trip and disappearance.
- This directive, issued amidst a government shutdown, follows a pattern of President Trump ordering the declassification of records related to other high-profile historical mysteries.
The Story So Far
- The current FBI directive stems from President Donald Trump’s previous public commitment to declassify and release all government records concerning Amelia Earhart, whose 1937 disappearance has long captivated public imagination and fueled numerous theories. This action aligns with President Trump’s established pattern of directing the release of documents related to other high-profile historical mysteries that have generated widespread public fascination.
Why This Matters
- The Trump administration’s high-priority directive for the FBI to search for Amelia Earhart records, issued even amidst a government shutdown, highlights a direct presidential interest in declassifying historical documents, aligning with previous orders concerning other high-profile mysteries. This action could potentially unearth new information regarding the nearly 90-year-old disappearance, potentially reshaping public understanding and further engaging public fascination with this enduring historical enigma.
Who Thinks What?
- President Donald Trump ordered his administration to declassify and release all government records related to Amelia Earhart’s disappearance, aiming to satisfy public fascination with the enduring mystery.
- The Trump administration issued a high-priority directive to FBI employees in Washington, D.C., and New York, instructing them to immediately search for any records pertaining to Amelia Earhart, even amidst an ongoing government shutdown.
The Trump administration has ordered Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) employees in Washington, D.C., and New York to immediately search for any records pertaining to the disappearance of American aviator Amelia Earhart, according to two law enforcement sources. The directive, flagged with high importance from the Executive Office of the President, arrived late Tuesday with a priority deadline of Wednesday, coinciding with the seventh day of an ongoing federal government shutdown.
FBI Directive
Employees in the FBI’s D.C. and New York field offices received an unusual message instructing them to “search any areas where papers or physical media records may be stored, to include both opening or closed cases, for records responsive to Amelia Earhart.” The urgency of the request underscores a direct interest from the highest levels of the administration.
President Donald Trump had previously announced his intention to declassify and release all government records related to Earhart. In a post on Truth Social last month, Trump stated, “Her disappearance, almost 90 years ago, has captivated millions. I am ordering my Administration to declassify and release all Government Records related to Amelia Earhart, her final trip, and everything else about her.”
Earhart’s Disappearance
Amelia Earhart, a celebrated aviator and the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean, vanished in 1937 while attempting to become the first woman to fly around the world. Her plane went missing over the Pacific Ocean, and she was officially declared lost at sea after a 16-day search.
While numerous conspiracy theories have emerged regarding her fate, the U.S. government has long suspected that Earhart and her navigator, Fred Noonan, crashed into the Pacific when their aircraft ran out of fuel.
Precedent for Declassification
The order to search for Earhart-related documents follows a pattern of President Trump directing the release of records concerning other high-profile deaths that have generated public fascination and conspiracy theories. These previous declassification orders have included documents related to the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy, Senator Robert F. Kennedy, and the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Ongoing Fascination
The immediate and high-priority directive to FBI employees, issued amidst a government shutdown, highlights the administration’s focus on declassifying information related to Amelia Earhart’s enduring mystery. The disappearance of the pioneering aviator continues to capture public imagination and remains a subject of widespread interest nearly nine decades later.
