Scholars and historians are expected to scrutinize recently released government records for insights into the assassination of former US president John F Kennedy (JFK). The Trump administration made available thousands of pages of previously classified files, drawing interest from experts and amateur sleuths to find fresh information on a critical event in US history.
The National Archives announced that all withheld records have now been made accessible, either online or in person. In two initial batches, approximately 63,000 pages have been uploaded to the archives’ website, with further documents to follow as they are digitized.
The Office of the Director of National Intelligence, headed by Tulsi Gabbard, confirmed that the release consists of around 80,000 pages of previously classified records.
The release of these records follows Trump’s executive order in January, directing the release of the remaining files related not only to JFK’s assassination but also to the killings of former US Senator Robert F Kennedy and civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr.
It is anticipated that scholars and historians will dedicate months to examining these documents for new clues regarding JFK’s death, a topic of considerable public fascination and speculation over the past six decades. According to a 2023 Gallup poll, 65% of Americans do not accept the findings of the Warren Commission, which concluded that Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone in assassinating the president during his visit to Dallas, Texas, on November 22, 1963.
While the poll showed that 20% believe Oswald conspired with the US government and 16% think he collaborated with the CIA, scholars who have initial access to the files have not reported any information that contradicts the prevailing account of Oswald’s actions.
In the previous administration, Trump pledged to disclose all outstanding JFK-related records but ultimately deferred to federal agencies, including the CIA and FBI, to review sensitive materials further. In 2022, former President Joe Biden’s administration released additional documents related to JFK’s assassination.
Before the most recent release, the National Archives noted that more than 99% of the estimated 320,000 documents reviewed under the JFK Records Act have been made available to the public. This legislation mandated full disclosure of remaining records by October 26, 2017, unless their release would cause significant harm to national defense or other government functions, outweighing public interest in the information.
Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/3/19/trump-administration-releases-thousands-of-files-on-jfk-assassination?traffic_source=rss
