Release of JFK assassination files by Trump administration

The Trump administration has made public thousands of government documents regarding the assassination of President John F. Kennedy (JFK), sparking a rush among historians and online investigators to uncover fresh insights into this pivotal event in U.S. history.

The National Archives confirmed that all previously classified records have now been declassified and are available for public access, both online and in person. Approximately 63,000 pages were initially uploaded in two stages, with more to follow as they are digitized. The release also includes about 80,000 pages of records previously kept secret by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, led by Tulsi Gabbard.

This release follows an executive order signed by Trump in January, mandating the declassification of remaining files on JFK’s assassination, as well as those related to the deaths of Senator Robert F. Kennedy and civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. Historians are now likely to spend months analyzing the new material for fresh insights into JFK’s death, which has been the subject of speculation and conspiracy theories for over 60 years.

A 2023 Gallup poll revealed that 65% of Americans doubted the official conclusion of the Warren Commission, which attributed JFK’s death to Lee Harvey Oswald acting alone. Among respondents, 20% believed Oswald may have been part of a conspiracy with the U.S. government, while 16% thought he had collaborated with the CIA.

Scholars reviewing the newly released files have not reported any new evidence challenging the official narrative regarding Oswald’s role.

Although Trump had promised to release all remaining documents during his first term, his administration initially withheld some files after federal agencies, including the CIA and FBI, requested extra time for review. President Joe Biden’s administration later released thousands of additional documents in 2022.

Prior to this release, over 99% of the approximately 320,000 documents under review since the JFK Records Act were already made public, according to the National Archives. The law, passed in 1992, stipulated that all records should be disclosed by October 26, 2017, unless their release would cause significant harm to national security or government functions, outweighing the public's right to access.