Trump Unveils Extensive Documents on JFK Assassination
The release of thousands of pages related to the assassination of John F. Kennedy by the Trump administration is unlikely to alter the fundamental understanding of the 35th president's death, according to experts. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Texas, in November 1963.
Donald Trump announced the release while visiting the Kennedy Center, stating that the documents, compiled by various officials under the guidance of the director of national intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, would be made public the following day.
Despite the new information, experts believe it won't change the established narrative that Lee Harvey Oswald fired at Kennedy from a school book depository as the motorcade passed through Dealey Plaza.
The digital files include memos, such as a "secret" document detailing a 1964 interview by a Warren Commission researcher with CIA employee Lee Wigren, which addressed discrepancies in information provided by the state department and CIA regarding marriages between Soviet women and American men.
The documents also touch on conspiracy theories that Oswald left the Soviet Union in 1962 with plans to assassinate Kennedy. Additionally, Department of Defense documents from 1963 discuss the Cold War context and U.S. efforts to counter Fidel Castro's support of communist movements in Latin America, suggesting Castro would avoid actions that might provoke a war with the U.S.
Following Trump's directive shortly after taking office, the FBI discovered thousands of new documents related to Kennedy's assassination. Tulsi Gabbard highlighted Trump's commitment to transparency in a social media post.
ABC News reported that Trump's announcement led to a frantic effort at the justice department. Kennedy was killed on November 22, 1963, and Oswald was shot two days later by Jack Ruby, a nightclub owner. Kennedy's assassination has been the subject of extensive research and numerous conspiracy theories.
Previous document releases occurred in 2017 during Trump's first term, including a 1975 CIA memo confirming Oswald had no ties to the agency. The latest release follows the recent death of Clint Hill, a Secret Service agent who famously leapt onto Kennedy's car during the assassination.
Trump himself survived an assassination attempt last year in Pennsylvania. He has also pledged to release files on the assassinations of Robert F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr. in 1968. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., now the U.S. health secretary, has suggested his father and uncle were victims of CIA plots.
The King family has expressed concerns about renewed scrutiny of FBI efforts to discredit him. Last month, under Trump's direction, the justice department released files on Jeffrey Epstein, a convicted sex offender who died in prison in 2019. The release, aimed at right-wing social media, did not generate significant revelations.
Larry Sabato, a political analyst and author on Kennedy, remarked that those expecting major revelations from the new document release are likely to be disappointed.