Trump Releases Thousands of JFK Assassination Files After Decades of Waiting
Approximately 80,000 pages of previously unseen files related to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy were released Tuesday, following an announcement by President Donald Trump, as per Fox News.
“So, people have been waiting for decades for this, and I’ve instructed my people… that they must be released tomorrow,” Trump stated during a visit to the Kennedy Center, adding, “I don’t believe we’re going to redact anything.”
As of Tuesday evening, over 1,123 unredacted documents were available for public viewing on the National Archive’s website.
Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard praised Trump’s decision, calling it “a new era of maximum transparency.” She confirmed that the released records were published “with no redactions,” fulfilling Trump’s promise.
However, Gabbard clarified that some additional documents remained under court seal or were subject to grand jury secrecy, requiring further legal action before release. The National Archive is working with the Department of Justice to expedite the unsealing process.
Trump’s action stemmed from an executive order signed in January, directing the declassification of files related to the assassinations of JFK, his brother Robert F. Kennedy (RFK), and civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr. (MLK).
The release occurs weeks after a batch of Jeffrey Epstein files was made public, which drew criticism for its lack of new information. This prompted heightened interest in the potential revelations contained within the JFK, RFK, and MLK documents.
The FBI reported conducting a new records search that identified approximately 2,400 previously unrecognized records related to the JFK assassination case file.
While the promise of releasing the JFK files has been echoed by multiple administrations, including previous pledges by Trump, previous efforts were hindered by CIA and FBI appeals, leading to the blocking of hundreds of records.
Former President Joe Biden also released JFK files during his term, though a planned release in 2021 was postponed due to the COVID-19.
