Hundreds of JFK Assassination Files Released Uncover CIA Secrets

WASHINGTON, D.C. — More than 63,000 pages of records related to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy were released Tuesday, fulfilling a long-awaited directive to unveil previously classified information that has spurred conspiracy theories for decades.

The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration made the documents accessible on its website, including approximately 2,200 individual files. Many historians and scholars had anticipated this release since it contains significant content concerning the assassination that has remained redacted for years.

Amid heightened interest from the public, the release follows an executive order issued by former President Donald Trump in early 2017, which aimed at ensuring transparency around the assassination and the CIA‘s involvement. Trump had announced the release of about 80,000 pages of documents, though many remained withheld.

In a 1992 memorandum from White House aide Arthur Schlesinger Jr., it was noted that nearly half of the political officers in U.S. embassies at the time were CIA agents operating under diplomatic cover. This revelation highlights the extent of CIA operatives positioned abroad during Kennedy’s presidency.

“The release of these files is a significant moment for public knowledge regarding the CIA’s covert operations, especially in Latin America,” said Peter Kornbluh, a senior analyst at the National Security Archive. “No other declassification has advanced understanding of CIA actions like this in history.”

The JFK Records Act, passed in the wake of Oliver Stone‘s 1991 movie “JFK,” charged the National Archives with the responsibility to collect and open all related records. This was partially in response to public outcry about the secrecy surrounding the assassination and how it eroded confidence in government agencies.

Despite the initial excitement, scholars have noted that the unclassified documents are incomplete. Jefferson Morley, vice-president of the Mary Ferrell Foundation, reported that around 3,700 records concerning the assassination still remain classified. He remarked that while the new release is encouraging, significant portions are still withheld, including recently discovered FBI documents.

“What we received is not everything that was promised,” Morley said. “This marks a positive step, but a large number of documents must still be unveiled to the public.”

The newly released files prompted renewed discussions on the conspiracy theories that have proliferated since Kennedy’s assassination on November 22, 1963. Lee Harvey Oswald, a former Marine, was arrested for the shooting and fatally shot by nightclub owner Jack Ruby two days later.

“Even though the Warren Commission concluded that Oswald acted alone, public suspicion continues to ensnare various theories about possible conspirators and their motivations,” stated Larry J. Sabato, director of the University of Virginia Center for Politics. “Documenting these findings offers new opportunities for scholarship.”

Some documents included memos detailing CIA surveillance operations on Oswald prior to the assassination, revealing the agency’s monitoring of contacts he made while in Mexico City. “The released materials provide unprecedented insights into U.S. intelligence operations of that era,” added Timothy Naftali, an adjunct professor at Columbia University.

The attention surrounding these documents comes with mixed sentiments from the public. While some expressed skepticism regarding any new revelations, others, like Karrie Marken, expressed hope that the files might shed light on unanswered questions regarding the assassination.

Despite the controversy over redactions, the release remains a pivotal moment in the historical narrative surrounding one of America’s most scrutinized events. For those investigating intelligence operations, the unveiling of these records appears not only to affirm CIA’s extensive network of influence but also raises further questions about operational accountability.

The National Archives is currently working to digitize and release additional records to the public, an ongoing effort to meet transparency goals surrounding JFK’s assassination.