FBI Discovers 2,400 New JFK Assassination Records Amid Declassification Efforts

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The FBI announced on February 11, 2025, that it has discovered approximately 2,400 newly inventoried and digitized records related to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. This finding comes in response to an executive order from former President Donald Trump directing the declassification of files linked to JFK’s assassination, along with those of his brother, Robert F. Kennedy, and civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr.

The FBI stated in its announcement that these records were previously unrecognized as related to the JFK assassination case file and have been prepared for transfer to the National Archives and Records Administration for inclusion in the ongoing declassification process.

Trump’s executive order, issued last month, aimed to ensure that all remaining files associated with JFK’s assassination would be disclosed to the public. “This is a big one. A lot of people have been waiting for this for years, for decades,” Trump said at the time. “And everything will be revealed,” he added.

The assassination of JFK on November 22, 1963, has sparked numerous conspiracy theories over the decades, with many Americans casting doubt on the official narrative. According to a 2023 Gallup poll, 65% of respondents expressed skepticism about the conclusion of the Warren Commission, which determined that Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone in the killing.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a prominent voice and Trump’s nominee for Health Secretary, has also suggested there is credible evidence linking the CIA to his uncle’s murder. He stated in a 2023 interview that there is “overwhelming” and “very convincing” evidence of such involvement.

During his first administration, Trump pledged to release all remaining documents relating to JFK’s assassination. He eventually authorized the release of about 2,800 files, but withheld thousands at the request of the CIA and FBI, which argued these contained sensitive information. The Biden administration later disclosed approximately 17,000 additional documents, leaving under 4,700 still withheld wholly or partially. The National Archives maintains that over 99% of the estimated 320,000 documents generated under the JFK Records Act, a 1992 law mandating the disclosure of these materials, have been released to the public.

Jefferson Morley, vice president of the Mary Ferrell Foundation — a repository for JFK assassination-related files — remarked on the FBI’s announcement, describing it as “refreshingly candid” and indicative of a commitment to transparency. He emphasized it sets a precedent for other agencies to follow suit and disclose previously withheld documents.

Trump’s order mandated that the director of national intelligence and the attorney general submit a plan within 15 days to the president for a comprehensive release of classified documents related to JFK’s assassination. A spokesperson for the director of national intelligence confirmed that a release plan has been submitted but did not provide further details or a timeline.

The JFK assassination remains one of the most scrutinized events in U.S. history. The Warren Commission’s conclusion that Oswald acted alone has been widely debated. Critics, including Gerald Posner, author of “Case Closed: Lee Harvey Oswald and the Assassination of JFK,” noted that if the newly discovered files genuinely contain new information, it raises questions about how those documents could have been overlooked for so many years.

Oswald was arrested shortly after JFK’s assassination but was killed two days later by nightclub owner Jack Ruby before he could trial. The assassination itself occurred while Kennedy was riding in a motorcade in Dallas, Texas, igniting decades of speculation and conspiracy theories surrounding the true circumstances of his death.