The Trump administration released 80,000 files connected to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy on Tuesday, triggering intense interest among historians, conspiracy theorists, and researchers who have long studied and examined the events of November 22, 1963, in Dallas.
The long-awaited records were uploaded to the National Archives website, after President Donald Trump's announced a day earlier that 80,000 pages of documents would be declassified. However, many of these aged files were difficult to decipher due to faded text, poor scanning quality, and unreadable handwriting filled with scribbles and crossed-out words. Moreover, despite assurances from Trump that the records would be fully accessible, several documents were still heavily redacted.
No Big Surprises
Before the release, several officials from the Trump administration told The New York Post that they did not anticipate any groundbreaking revelations. Most of the documents appeared to relate to the 1964 investigation conducted by the Warren Commission, which was led by Supreme Court Chief Justice Earl Warren.
The commission ultimately concluded that Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone, firing a high-powered rifle from the sixth floor of the Texas School Book Depository as President Kennedy's motorcade moved through Dealey Plaza.
The commission's findings have remained a topic of debate, as polls have consistently indicated that most Americans believe Kennedy's assassination was the result of a conspiracy. Various theories have emerged over the years, suggesting involvement from groups such as the Mafia, the CIA, and disgruntled Cuban exiles, among others.
"President Trump is ushering in a new era of maximum transparency. Today, per his direction, previously redacted JFK Assassination Files are being released to the public with no redactions," director of national intelligence Tulsi Gabbard said of the release. "Promises made, promises kept," she added.
Just three days into his second term, President Trump issued an executive order directing officials to draft a plan within 15 days for the release of the remaining JFK assassination records. He also gave them 45 days to develop a strategy for releasing government files related to the assassinations of Robert F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr.
The 1992 Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act set a deadline for Congress to release the remaining JFK assassination files by 2017.
When that deadline arrived, Trump declassified thousands of documents, including 19,000 in 2018. However, some records remained classified due to pressure from national security officials, including former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.
By the end of 2022, former President Joe Biden followed a similar course, making over 13,000 additional files public.
Before Tuesday's release, the National Archives and Records Administration estimated that around 98% of the documents had already been released.
Almost Everything Released Now
Some of the newly released documents had been requested under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) over the past several decades. However, many contain faded text or handwriting that is difficult to read.
An initial examination of the massive JFK document release by The New York Post revealed that some files had seemingly been made public in previous disclosures.
These records aim to provide further context to existing knowledge about the government's investigation into Lee Harvey Oswald, who was fatally shot by nightclub owner Jack Ruby two days after assassinating former President Kennedy in Dallas.
"In September/October 1963, Lee Harvey Oswald approached the Soviet Embassy in Mexico City in an attempt to get a visa allowing him to return to the USSR," one document labeled "secret" explained. "[Valeriy Vladimirovich] Kostikov, as a consular officer, handled this visa no information request."
"We have no information which indicates any relationship between these individuals other than for the purpose of Oswald's making his visa."
A 1971 document stated that Kostikov later operated in Mexico and was "considered by some to be the most effective and dangerous of intelligence officers" in the region.
The CIA's interest in Kostikov has been well-documented. He was a former KGB agent involved in sabotage and assassination for the Soviet Union. However, the CIA ultimately confirmed that his encounter with Oswald was "nothing more than an grim coincidence."
Oswald, a former Marine Corps member, had defected to the Soviet Union four years before assassinating Kennedy. Prior to the shooting, he had traveled to Mexico, where he visited the Cuban Consulate and contacted the Soviet Embassy while seeking a travel visa.
Just under two weeks before the attack, Oswald wrote to the Soviet Embassy in Washington, whining: "[H]ad I been able to reach the Soviet Embassy in Havana, as planned, the embassy there would have had time to complete our business."
