On Thursday, January 23, 2024, President Donald Trump issued an executive order requiring the disclosure of thousands of classified documents related to three high-profile American assassinations, sparking a swift and vigorous response from former president John F. Kennedy’s grandson.
According to the executive order, “Over half a century after the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy, Senator Robert F. Kennedy, and the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., all related records have not been made public by the Federal Government. The families of these individuals and the American people are entitled to transparency and truth. It is in the national interest to release all records related to these assassinations without delay.”
Trump’s announcement kept a promise he made during his campaign for re-election, despite previously retreating from similar vows due to concerns raised by intelligence agencies. In a Fox News interview with Sean Hannity conducted on Wednesday, Trump previewed the action, saying, “I’m going to release them immediately. We’re going to see the information. We are looking at it right now.”
Jack Schlossberg, the only grandson of JFK and an emerging figure in the Democratic party, denounced the decision on social media platform X, saying, “The truth is a lot sadder than the myth — a tragedy that didn’t need to happen.” The attorney and journalist accused Trump of exploiting his grandfather’s death for political gain, adding, “Declassification is using JFK as a political prop when he’s not here to punch back. There’s nothing heroic about it.” Schlossberg voiced concerns about the file release, suggesting it might inspire unwarranted speculation and propagate conspiracy theories about alternative assassination explanations.
As per the order, the strategy for releasing the remaining JFK files must be developed by Trump’s Director of National Intelligence. During the signing ceremony in the Oval Office, Trump commented, “That’s a big one, huh?” before asking for the signing pen to be given to RFK Jr. He continued, “A lot of people are waiting for this for a long … for years, for decades. Everything will be revealed.”
The directive allows intelligence officials 45 days to prepare plans for the release of records related to the assassinations of Senator Robert F. Kennedy and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., extending the range beyond just the JFK files.
Trump noted that his previous hesitance to release the documents was due to pressure from his former CIA Director and Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, who had expressly asked that the files remain confidential. Trump hinted that Pompeo’s concerns suggested he had access to sensitive information that justified keeping the records classified at that time. The CIA and FBI also maintained that some documents contained sensitive material that should stay classified to safeguard vital national security interests.
While millions of pages regarding the JFK assassination have been disclosed, several thousand still remain in archives. Recent releases have included CIA cables and memos recording Lee Harvey Oswald’s visits to the Cuban and Soviet embassies in Mexico City, Mexico, weeks before the assassination. These documents shed light on Oswald’s actions leading up to November 22, 1963, when he is alleged to have fired the deadly shots from the sixth floor of the Texas School Book Depository in Dallas, Texas.
The document declassification has revealed a distinct family divide. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. fervently supports the release, arguing there is “overwhelming evidence that the CIA was involved in his murder” and asserting his uncle was targeted for refusing to commit U.S. forces to the Vietnam War. The CIA has consistently refuted any involvement in the assassination and maintains that Oswald was not their agent. This stance starkly contrasts with his nephew Schlossberg’s dismissal of conspiracy theories as unwarranted speculation.
On the infamous day in Dallas, President Kennedy was in an open motorcade alongside First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy and Texas Governor John Connally when shots were fired in Dealey Plaza. Oswald was apprehended shortly afterward but was himself murdered two days later by nightclub owner Jack Ruby in a moment broadcast live on television, adding another layer of intrigue to an incident that has fascinated the American public for six decades.
Experts who have examined previously released documents believe the remaining files are unlikely to contain revelations that would alter the accepted narrative of events. Nonetheless, amateur investigators persist in examining every new piece of information, seeking evidence that might support or contradict the various theories that have endured since that November day in Dallas.
