- President Donald Trump fulfilled a campaign promise by releasing 80,000 pages of previously classified documents related to the 1963 assassination of President John F. Kennedy. The files, published without redactions, are now publicly accessible via the National Archives website, marking the largest single disclosure of JFK-related records since the 1990s.
- The files, while confirming Lee Harvey Oswald as the primary suspect, provide new insights into Cold War-era CIA operations, Oswald’s activities and long-standing conspiracy theories. Notable findings include Cuban diplomats’ suspicions of CIA involvement, a CIA misinformation campaign to implicate Cuba and claims by Gary Underhill, a CIA-linked figure, who alleged a CIA clique was responsible for the assassination before his suspicious death in 1964.
- The release aims to restore public trust in government transparency, addressing decades of skepticism surrounding the Warren Commission’s findings. It also sheds light on Cold War geopolitics, including CIA operations targeting Fidel Castro, and fulfills demands from the Kennedy family and historians for full disclosure.
- The push for disclosure began with the 1992 JFK Assassination Records Collection Act, which mandated full release by 2017. Delays by successive administrations, including President Joe Biden’s partial release in 2022, drew criticism. Trump’s 2025 executive order marked a turning point, releasing the majority of the promised files.
- While the release is a significant milestone, approximately two-thirds of the promised files remain unreleased, including IRS and FBI records. Some documents are still under court seal or tied to grand jury proceedings.
In a historic move toward government transparency, President Donald Trump has fulfilled his campaign promise to release 80,000 pages of previously classified documents related to the 1963 assassination of President John F. Kennedy. The files, published in full and without redactions, are now accessible to the public through the National Archives website.
The release, consisting of 1,123 PDF files, marks the largest single disclosure of JFK-related records since the 1990s. It comes after decades of public demand for full transparency surrounding one of the most pivotal and controversial events in American history.
“People have been waiting for decades for this, and I’ve instructed my people… lots of different people, [Director of National Intelligence] Tulsi Gabbard, that they must be released tomorrow,” Trump said during a visit to the Kennedy Center in Washington. “You got a lot of reading. I don’t believe we’re going to redact anything. I said, ‘just don’t redact, you can’t redact.’”
The files, while still pointing to Lee Harvey Oswald as the primary suspect, shed new light on long-standing conspiracy theories and provide fresh insights into the CIA’s operations, Oswald’s activities and the geopolitical tensions of the Cold War era.
What the files reveal
The newly released documents include interviews with CIA, FBI and Secret Service agents, as well as previously classified intelligence reports. Among the most notable findings:
- Cuban diplomats’ suspicions: Cuban officials initially believed the CIA orchestrated JFK’s assassination as retribution for the failed Bay of Pigs invasion. One diplomat reportedly stated, “If the Yankees or CIA assassinated Kennedy to resume the assault on Cuba, then a third world war would start.”
- CIA misinformation campaign: American intelligence operatives revealed that CIA assets spread false claims implicating Cuba in the assassination immediately after JFK’s death. This misinformation campaign aimed to deflect attention from other potential culprits.
- Gary Underhill’s claims: A 1967 issue of Ramparts magazine featured a claim by Gary Underhill, a former military affairs expert with CIA ties, who alleged that “a small clique within the CIA was responsible for the assassination.”
Underhill, who expressed fear for his life after making these claims, was found dead in 1964 under suspicious circumstances.
Historical context: Why this matters
The assassination of John F. Kennedy on November 22, 1963, remains one of the most scrutinized events in American history. The Warren Commission’s conclusion that Oswald acted alone has been met with widespread skepticism, fueling countless conspiracy theories.
The release of these files is significant for several reasons:
- Public trust in government: For decades, the withholding of JFK records has fueled distrust in federal agencies, particularly the CIA and FBI. By releasing these documents unredacted, the Trump administration aims to restore faith in government transparency.
- Cold War intrigue: The files provide a window into the high-stakes geopolitics of the Cold War, including CIA operations targeting Fidel Castro and the Soviet Union’s potential involvement in the assassination.
- Legacy of the Kennedy family: The release fulfills a long-standing demand from the Kennedy family and historians for full disclosure. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Trump’s Secretary of Health and Human Services, has been a vocal advocate for transparency, citing the CIA’s potential role in both his uncle’s and father’s assassinations.
The road to transparency
The push for full disclosure of JFK records began in 1992 with the passage of the John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act, which mandated the release of all related documents by 2017. However, successive administrations delayed the process, citing national security concerns.
In 2022, President Joe Biden released 13,000 documents but withheld approximately 4,700 records, citing potential harm to national security. This decision drew criticism from historians and transparency advocates, including Jefferson Morley of the Mary Ferrell Foundation, who argued, “This is about our history and our right to know it.”
Trump’s executive order in January 2025 marked a turning point. “More than 50 years after these assassinations, the victims’ families and the American people deserve the truth,” Trump declared.
What’s next?
While the release of 80,000 pages is a significant step, questions remain. Approximately two-thirds of the promised files, including 500-plus IRS records and 2,400 recently discovered FBI files, have yet to be released. Additionally, some records remain under court seal or are tied to grand jury proceedings, pending expedited review.
For now, the public can access the newly released documents at archives.gov/fjfk. As historians and researchers pore over the files, the hope is that this unprecedented transparency will bring us closer to understanding the truth behind one of history’s most enduring mysteries.
Conclusion
President Trump’s decision to release the JFK files unredacted represents a landmark moment in the pursuit of government transparency. While the documents may not definitively answer all questions surrounding JFK’s assassination, they provide a wealth of new information for historians, researchers and the public to analyze.
As Jefferson Morley aptly noted, “This is most positive news on the declassification of JFK files since the 1990s.” For a nation still grappling with the legacy of November 22, 1963, the release of these files is a step toward closure—and a reminder of the enduring importance of truth in a democracy.
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