Full Disclosure of Assassination Documents
Donald Trump’s administration has released all classified files on President John F. Kennedy’s 1963 assassination. The National Archives made tens of thousands of unredacted pages public.
The release follows Trump’s executive order aimed at declassifying documents related to the assassinations of John F. Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy, and Martin Luther King Jr.
President Trump is ushering in a new era of maximum transparency. Today, per his direction, previously redacted JFK Assassination Files are being released to the public with no redactions. Promises made, promises kept. https://t.co/UnG1vkgxjX pic.twitter.com/XBbkQfz4Bx
— DNI Tulsi Gabbard (@DNIGabbard) March 18, 2025
No Evidence of a Conspiracy
Initial assessments of the documents indicate no change in the long-held conclusion that Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone.
The Warren Commission, which investigated the assassination, determined in 1964 that Oswald fired three shots at Kennedy from the Texas School Book Depository.
Despite this, conspiracy theories continue to challenge the official findings.
Figure 1: President John F. Kennedy minutes before his assassination as his car passed through Dealey Plaza
Soviet Files on Oswald’s Marksmanship
A 1991 document states that a KGB official reviewed Soviet intelligence files on Oswald. The files suggest Oswald was a poor shot when he trained in the USSR.
The KGB monitored Oswald but did not recruit him. The official doubted anyone could control Oswald due to his erratic behaviour.
Cold War Context: U.S. Surveillance on Cuba
The newly released files contain Department of Defense documents from 1963 discussing U.S. concerns about Cuban leader Fidel Castro.
The documents state that Castro was unlikely to provoke war with the United States but would continue supporting communist movements in Latin America.
The U.S. government closely monitored Castro’s activities in the years leading up to Kennedy’s assassination.
Historians React to the Release
James Johnston, author of Murder, Inc.: The CIA Under John F. Kennedy, expressed scepticism about finding new information.
“If it was going to embarrass the agency or tell a different story, they wouldn’t have turned them over,” Johnston said.
He noted a missing document detailing the first conversation between President Lyndon Johnson and CIA Director John McCone after Kennedy’s assassination.
McCone allegedly withheld information from the Warren Commission, which investigated the murder. The CIA later acknowledged McCone’s lack of full disclosure.
Figure 2: Documents related to the 1963 assassination of President John F. Kennedy
Warren Commission’s Findings
President Lyndon B. Johnson established the Warren Commission to investigate Kennedy’s assassination.
The commission’s final report concluded that Oswald acted alone and that there was no evidence of a wider conspiracy.
Despite this, opinion polls have consistently shown that many Americans believe Kennedy’s assassination involved multiple actors.
Trump’s Push for Maximum Transparency
Trump did not immediately comment on the document release. However, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard praised the move.
Gabbard stated that the release was part of Trump’s commitment to “maximum transparency and a commitment to rebuild the trust of the American people in the Intelligence Community (IC) and federal agencies.”
Following Trump’s order, intelligence agencies were required to submit all unredacted JFK assassination records to the National Archives.
National Archives Confirms Incomplete Digital Release
The National Archives confirmed that some documents were not yet available online.
“As the records continue to be digitised, they will be posted to this page,” the National Archives stated.
Some files remain withheld due to grand jury secrecy, court orders, or tax confidentiality laws.
JFK Experts Assess The Newly Released Files
JFK researcher Jefferson Morley described the release as an “encouraging start.”
“We now have complete versions of approximately a third of the redacted JFK documents,” Morley stated.
According to Morley, the newly available files provide insights into:
- Kennedy’s mistrust of the CIA
- CIA surveillance of Oswald in Mexico City
- Covert CIA propaganda operations involving Oswald
However, the release does not include all remaining classified files. At least 500 IRS records and 2,400 newly discovered FBI files remain undisclosed.
Justice Department’s Rush to Meet Trump’s Deadline
Trump’s order set off a last-minute effort within the Justice Department.
A senior DOJ official instructed attorneys in the National Security Division to conduct a final review of the documents.
The review ensured compliance with Trump’s directive while addressing legal concerns.
FBI Uncovers 2,400 More JFK Records
The FBI recently found 2,400 additional records related to Kennedy’s assassination. These files are being transferred to the National Archives.
Decades-Long Demand for Full Disclosure Released at JFK Center
Trump announced the release while visiting the John F. Kennedy Center of the Performing Arts.
“People have been waiting for decades for this,” Trump said. “We have a tremendous amount of paper. You’ve got a lot of reading.”
Millions of documents have already been released over the years. Some files remained classified due to national security concerns.
Also Read: “From a One-Week Mission to 286 Days in Space: NASA Astronauts Finally Return Home”
Legal Background on JFK Records
A 1992 law required all assassination records to be declassified by 2017 unless the president delayed them for security reasons.
Trump initially released 2,900 records in 2017 but withheld others at the request of intelligence agencies.
Former President Joe Biden delayed additional releases in 2021, 2022, and 2023 to allow agencies more time for review.
The newly released documents include FBI and CIA assessments of Oswald, Cold War intelligence, and covert U.S. operations.
