President-elect Donald Trump announced plans to release classified documents related to the assassinations of former U.S. President John F. Kennedy, Senator Robert Kennedy, and civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr.
Upcoming Public Access to Sensitive Records
Speaking at a Make America Great Again (MAGA) rally at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C., Trump stated, “In the coming days, we are going to make public remaining records related to the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy, his brother Robert Kennedy, as well as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and other topics of great public interest.”
While he hinted at forthcoming disclosures, Trump did not clarify the extent of the release or guarantee complete declassification of the files.
Previous Release of JFK Assassination Files
During his earlier presidency, Trump authorized the release of 2,800 documents concerning the JFK assassination. However, under pressure from the CIA and FBI, several files were withheld due to national security concerns.
Trump’s campaign pledged transparency regarding intelligence and law enforcement files tied to the 1963 assassination of John F. Kennedy. This commitment has reignited public interest in the decades-old event, which remains one of the most scrutinized assassinations in U.S. history.
Despite official conclusions from the Justice Department that Kennedy was assassinated by a lone gunman, Lee Harvey Oswald, many Americans believe the event involved a broader conspiracy. This skepticism has fueled ongoing debates about the case.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s Connection
Adding a personal layer to the story, Trump has nominated Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the son of Robert Kennedy and nephew of John F. Kennedy, to lead the Department of Health and Human Services.
Kennedy Jr. has publicly accused the CIA of being involved in his uncle’s assassination—a claim the agency has denied. He has also expressed doubts about official accounts of his father’s death, asserting that multiple gunmen were involved.
The potential release of these classified records could shed new light on pivotal moments in American history, offering answers—or raising new questions—about the assassinations of three influential figures. The move is likely to reignite discussions about transparency and historical accountability.
Overview of the JFK Assassination Files
The JFK assassination files encompass more than 5 million pages of records related to the murder of President John F. Kennedy on November 22, 1963, in Dallas. These files, maintained by the National Archives, include a diverse collection of photos, films, sound recordings, and artifacts linked to the case.
As of now, about 88% of the records have been fully available to the public since the late 1990s, while 11% have been released with certain sensitive portions redacted, according to the National Archives’ website. However, 1% of the records remain classified and have yet to be disclosed.
The President John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act of 1992 mandated the release of all remaining JFK files by October 26, 2017, unless the president determined that certain records should remain classified for national security or other reasons.
Historians and researchers, including Professor Larry Sabato, director of the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia, eagerly await the release of the remaining files. Sabato hopes the documents will shed light on “critical details” regarding what U.S. government agencies, such as the FBI and CIA, knew about the assassination and when they knew it.
Sabato emphasized the public’s enduring curiosity about the case, stating, “Ever since the assassination, so many questions have risen that people want to see what the government knew and when they knew it.” He criticized the reluctance of agencies like the FBI and CIA to release crucial information, which has contributed to the persistent mystery and speculation surrounding the assassination.
While the full truth may never be uncovered, the release of the remaining records is anticipated to provide new insights into the events leading up to and following the assassination of one of America’s most iconic presidents.
