The FBI has uncovered thousands of previously undisclosed files related to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, following an executive order by President Donald Trump to declassify them. The move was part of a broader initiative to release documents tied to the deaths of JFK, Martin Luther King Jr., and Robert F. Kennedy.
During his first three weeks back in office, Trump issued numerous executive orders addressing various issues, including reversing the TikTok ban, modifying immigration laws, and declaring that there are ‘only two genders.’ Just days into his term, Trump signed an executive order to release the assassination-related files, stating: “More than 50 years after the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy, Senator Robert F. Kennedy, and the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the Federal Government has not released to the public all of its records related to those events. Their families and the American people deserve transparency and truth. It is in the national interest to finally release all records related to these assassinations without delay.”
According to the FBI, approximately 2,400 new records connected to the JFK assassination were discovered and digitally inventoried following a comprehensive review under Trump’s order. The agency noted that the establishment of the Central Records Complex in 2020 significantly improved their ability to search and organize previously unrecognized files. These newly identified documents are being transferred to the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) for inclusion in the declassification process.
The files reveal intricate details about the CIA’s surveillance methods and strategies during the Cold War, including efforts to monitor Soviet and Cuban diplomatic facilities and attempts to recruit double agents. Records indicate that Lee Harvey Oswald, the accused assassin, had telephone conversations with guards at the Soviet embassy, which were intercepted by the CIA through wiretapping operations in Mexico City between December 1962 and January 1963. Methods described include telephone tapping, the use of chemicals detectable only under UV light, and fluoroscopic scanning technology to detect hidden microphones.
Additionally, the documents detail CIA efforts to infiltrate political structures within allied nations, including notes from Kennedy aide Arthur Schlesinger Jr. regarding the agency’s attempts to influence French political figures. The files also describe the CIA’s efforts to recruit Soviet embassy personnel as double agents, offering insight into the agency’s covert operations during the height of the Cold War.
The release further sheds light on U.S. attempts to destabilize the regime of Cuban leader Fidel Castro. One document from 1964 reveals that two intelligence assets discussed the possibility of assassinating Castro, with the CIA initially supportive of the plan before shelving it due to opposition from Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy. Another document notes RFK’s request to be informed if the CIA intended to collaborate with the Mafia on any future operations against Castro.
The files include around 80 documents related to Robert F. Kennedy, primarily covering his work as Attorney General and as a Senator. However, only two documents directly address his assassination in 1968. One of them mentions how RFK’s death reignited conspiracy theories regarding his brother’s assassination and New Orleans District Attorney Jim Garrison’s subsequent investigation.
Despite longstanding conspiracy theories, the files do not present conclusive evidence that Oswald was acting under the control of the Soviet Union or Cuba. One document cites an American professor’s account of a KGB official who believed Oswald was never an agent controlled by Soviet intelligence.
Furthermore, the documents touch on Jack Ruby, the nightclub owner who shot Oswald two days after JFK’s assassination on live television. The files suggest Ruby had connections to organized crime, indicating his actions may have been influenced by external pressures rather than pure patriotism.
Although the Trump administration claimed the release would be complete and unredacted, critics have noted that many files were heavily redacted or poorly scanned, making them difficult to read. Some have also pointed out that much of the material released under Trump’s directive appears to be similar to documents made public by President Joe Biden’s administration in 2023, leading to frustration among conspiracy theorists and researchers who hoped for fresh revelations.
President Trump, however, insists that the release fulfills his campaign promise of transparency. Historians and analysts now face the challenging task of combing through the 80,000 pages of documents to identify any new information that may provide clarity on one of America’s most infamous historical events.
Despite criticism, the release of these documents has reignited public interest in the JFK assassination and stirred debates over the credibility of official accounts. Whether these files reveal groundbreaking information or merely recycle what is already known remains uncertain, but the American public’s fascination with the case endures.
SOURCE :- UNILAD
