Trump Administration Declassifies Thousands of JFK Assassination Files
Scholars and historians are expected to spend months analyzing newly released records in search of answers surrounding the former U.S. president’s assassination.
The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump has declassified thousands of government documents related to the assassination of John F. Kennedy (JFK), sparking a flurry of activity among historians and online researchers eager to uncover fresh insights into one of the most pivotal events in American history.
On Tuesday, the National Archives announced that “all records previously withheld for classification” had been made available for public access, either online or in person. In the first phase, approximately 63,000 pages of documents were uploaded to its website, with additional files to be published as they are digitized.
The Office of the Director of National Intelligence, under the leadership of Tulsi Gabbard, confirmed that the latest release included around 80,000 pages of previously classified materials.
This declassification follows an executive order signed by Trump in January, calling for the full release of all remaining files related to JFK’s assassination, as well as documents concerning the killings of former U.S. Senator Robert F. Kennedy and civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. Scholars and historians are expected to carefully examine the files for new clues regarding JFK’s death—an event that has fueled widespread speculation and conspiracy theories for over six decades.
A 2023 Gallup poll revealed that 65% of Americans remain skeptical of the Warren Commission’s findings, which concluded that Lee Harvey Oswald, a former U.S. Marine, acted alone in assassinating Kennedy during his visit to Dallas, Texas, on November 22, 1963. Among those surveyed, 20% believed Oswald was part of a U.S. government conspiracy, while 16% suspected collaboration with the CIA.
Initial reviews of the newly released files by scholars have not indicated any significant deviation from the prevailing narrative regarding Oswald.
During his first term, Trump had promised to release all remaining records but ultimately held back thousands of files following requests from federal agencies, including the CIA and FBI, for more time to review sensitive information. The administration of former U.S. President Joe Biden declassified additional records in 2022.
Before this latest release, more than 99% of the approximately 320,000 documents reviewed under the JFK Records Act had already been made public, according to the National Archives.
Enacted in 1992, the law mandated that all remaining JFK-related records be disclosed by October 26, 2017, unless the president determined that their release would pose “identifiable harm” to national security or other government interests, outweighing the public’s right to access them.
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