Trump Orders Release of Secret Government Files in Search for Clues
The enduring mystery surrounding the disappearance of American aviation pioneer Amelia Earhart has once again surged into the headlines after an announcement from the White House.
President Donald Trump on Friday ordered the declassification and release of all government records related to the legendary aviator.
On Truth Social, the President wrote:
“I have been asked by many people about the life and times of Amelia Earhart, such an interesting story, and would I consider declassifying and releasing everything about her, in particular, her last, fatal flight! She was an Aviation Pioneer, the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean, and achieved many other Aviation “firsts.” She disappeared in the South Pacific while trying to become the first woman to fly around the World. Amelia made it almost three quarters around the World before she suddenly, and without notice, vanished, never to be seen again. 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. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”
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Eighty-eight years after she vanished over the vast Pacific Ocean, the life and disappearance of Earhart remains one of the world’s most enduring mysteries. Earhart, an acclaimed pilot who broke numerous records and championed women in aviation, was last heard from on July 2, 1937, during her ambitious attempt to become the first woman to circumnavigate the globe.
Earhart, born in Atchison, Kansas, in 1897, was already a celebrated international figure before her final flight. She gained global fame in 1928 as the first woman to cross the Atlantic Ocean by plane, albeit as a passenger. Determined to prove her own skill, she made history again in 1932 by becoming the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic, an accomplishment that earned her the Distinguished Flying Cross. She also set the record for the first solo flight from Hawaii to California in 1935.
Her final journey began in May 1937, when she and her navigator, Fred Noonan, took off from Oakland, California, in a twin-engine Lockheed Model 10-E Electra. They flew eastward, completing nearly three-quarters of the 29,000-mile journey before departing Lae, New Guinea, for what was intended to be their most challenging leg: a 2,556-mile flight to Howland Island, a tiny, remote speck in the central Pacific.
The U.S. Coast Guard cutter Itasca was stationed near Howland Island to assist with navigation and refueling. However, due to a combination of factors, including overcast skies, suspected radio communication difficulties, and potentially low fuel, Earhart and Noonan were unable to locate the island. The Itasca received the final, anxious radio transmissions from Earhart, with her last reported position indicating she was running north and south, searching for the small landmass.
The official explanation, supported by the U.S. Navy’s subsequent extensive search—the largest up to that time—is the “crash and sink” theory: that the aircraft ran out of fuel and plunged into the ocean. Earhart was officially declared dead in absentia in 1939.
Despite the official conclusion, the lack of wreckage or remains has fueled a number of alternative theories. One of the most prominent suggests that Earhart and Noonan successfully crash-landed on Gardner Island (now known as Nikumaroro), an uninhabited coral atoll, and perished there as castaways. Artifacts, including possible fragments of an aircraft, have been found on the island, lending credence to the idea, though no definitive proof has been uncovered. Other, less-evidenced theories propose that the pair were captured by Japanese forces.
The new order to declassify records is anticipated to reignite public interest and potentially provide new leads for the dozens of research groups and individuals who have dedicated decades to solving the famous cold case. Her legacy, however, is firmly cemented not just in her dramatic vanishing act, but in her pioneering spirit, her record-breaking achievements, and her role as an inspiration for women in all fields.
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