Featured Image Credit: Getty/Fotosearch
Topics: Donald Trump, History, US News
Joshua Nair
Donald Trump has made a massive move when it comes to the disappearance of Amelia Earhart.
For those who don't know, Amelia Earhart was a pioneering aviation explorer in the early 20th century who went missing in 1937.
The American was one of the most renowned explorers of her time, setting a precedent by becoming the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean.
While she set a number of other impressive aviation records, the Kansas-native was known for advocating to equal rights for women at a time when voting was just made legal for both genders in the US.
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But after setting out on 1 June 1937 with navigator Fred Noonan, Earhart was began her 29,000 mile journey in an attempt to circumnavigate the world.
She aimed to fly over the likes of South America and Africa onboard her Lockheed 10-E Electra plane, but just a month into the journey, she encountered trouble.
On 2 July, she set out from New Guinea for Howland Island, planning to refuel, but even with the help of the US Coast Guard, the plane and both Earhart and Noonan would vanish, never to be seen again.
Decades on, no trace of the plane or any remains of those onboard have been found, despite claims from various research teams.
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But it looks like we could soon be making a huge step, as US President Donald Trump has announced he will declassify secret government files about the explorer's disappearance.
Taking to social media platform Truth Social, he called her disappearance an 'interesting story' and 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. Thank you for your attention to this matter!"
Theories around her disappearance range from a simple crash or even being captured as a prisoner by Japan, though this hasn't stopped historians from digging into any possible explanations.
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While parts of a skeleton found on Nikumaroro in 1940 showed some promise of being linked, doctors linked it to a male body.
Trump called Earhart an 'Aviation Pioneer' in his post, pointing out that she was '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," he noted.
But maybe, just maybe, these classified documents could give experts a lead.