President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Thursday, January 23, 2024, mandating the release of thousands of classified documents related to three of America’s most scrutinized assassinations, prompting an immediate and forceful rebuke from John F. Kennedy’s grandson.
The executive order declares: “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.”
The announcement fulfills a campaign promise Trump made during his reelection bid, though he previously backed away from similar pledges due to intelligence agency concerns. During Wednesday’s Fox News interview with Sean Hannity, Trump previewed the action, stating, “I’m going to release them immediately. We’re going to see the information. We are looking at it right now.”
Jack Schlossberg, JFK’s only grandson and a rising figure in the Democratic party, condemned the move on social media platform X, stating, “The truth is a lot sadder than the myth — a tragedy that didn’t need to happen.” The lawyer and journalist accused Trump of using his grandfather’s death for political purposes, writing, “Declassification is using JFK as a political prop when he’s not here to punch back. There’s nothing heroic about it.” Schlossberg criticized the release of the files, suggesting it could encourage unnecessary speculation and fuel conspiracy theories about alternative explanations for the assassination.
Under the directive, Trump’s Director of National Intelligence must develop a strategy for releasing the remaining JFK files. During the signing ceremony in the Oval Office, Trump remarked, “That’s a big one, huh?” before requesting that the signing pen be given to RFK Jr. He added, “A lot of people are waiting for this for a long … for years, for decades. Everything will be revealed.”
The order gives intelligence officials 45 days to outline plans for releasing archives related to the assassinations of Senator Robert F. Kennedy and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., expanding the scope beyond just the JFK files.
Trump explained that his earlier reluctance to release the documents was influenced by pressure from his former CIA Director and Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, who had explicitly requested that the files not be made public. Trump suggested that Pompeo’s concerns implied he was privy to sensitive information that warranted keeping the records classified at the time. The CIA and FBI also argued that some documents contained sensitive material and should remain classified to protect critical national security interests.
While millions of pages about the JFK assassination have already been made public, several thousand remain in archives. Recent releases included CIA cables and memos documenting Lee Harvey Oswald’s visits to Cuban and Soviet embassies in Mexico City weeks before the shooting. These documents revealed Oswald’s activities in the weeks leading up to November 22, 1963, when he allegedly fired the fatal shots from the sixth floor of the Texas School Book Depository in Dallas.
The declassification has exposed a stark family divide. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., currently running as an independent presidential candidate, strongly supports the release, claiming 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 denied any involvement in the assassination and maintains that Oswald was not their agent. This position directly contradicts his nephew Schlossberg’s dismissal of conspiracy theories as unnecessary speculation.
On that fateful day in Dallas, President Kennedy was riding in an open motorcade with First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy and Texas Governor John Connally when shots rang out in Dealey Plaza. Oswald was arrested shortly after but was himself shot dead two days later by nightclub owner Jack Ruby in a moment captured live on television, adding another layer of mystery to an event that has captivated the American public for six decades.
Experts who have studied previously released documents say the remaining files are unlikely to contain revelations that would alter the accepted narrative of events. However, amateur investigators continue to scrutinize every new piece of information, seeking evidence that might support or refute the various theories that have persisted since that November day in Dallas.
