Jack Schlossberg, the grandson of President John F. Kennedy, publicly criticized CNN for its coverage of newly released assassination files in a heated social media post on Tuesday, March 18, 2025. The 32-year-old expressed frustration over the network’s reporting on the 80,000 documents related to JFK’s 1963 assassination that were just released by the Trump administration.
In a video shared on X, Schlossberg appeared visibly upset as he recorded himself with CNN playing on a television in the background. He called out CNN anchors by name, questioning their editorial decisions.
“You’re better than this. This is so [expletive] stupid. There’s so much actual news going on. Why are you covering this,” Schlossberg said in the video. “At least report that something happened. I love you, Harry Enten, you’re really smart. Why are you guys covering this? I love you, Erin Burnett, you’re really smart, why are you covering this?”
Schlossberg, who serves as a political correspondent for Vogue and is the son of former U.S. Ambassador Caroline Kennedy, followed his initial post with several provocative comments. In one, he wrote in all capital letters: “WHAT THE JFK FILES SAY ABOUT ME IS NOT TRUE,” adding, “I’M STRAIGHT.”
The documents, consisting of approximately 63,400 pages, were published on the National Archives website following an executive order from President Trump. This initial release represents part of a larger effort to declassify records related to the assassinations of President Kennedy, Senator Robert F. Kennedy, and civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr.
Schlossberg claimed that the Trump administration failed to notify the Kennedy family before making the documents public. “No — THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION DID NOT GIVE ANYONE IN PRESIDENT KENNEDY’S FAMILY ‘A HEADS UP’ ABOUT THE RELEASE,” he wrote on X. “A total surprise, and not a shocker!! But @RobertKennedyJr definitely knew.”
The relationship between Schlossberg and his cousin Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who currently serves as Secretary of Health and Human Services in the Trump administration, is strained. Schlossberg has previously criticized RFK Jr. for spreading conspiracy theories about JFK’s assassination and urged podcast host Joe Rogan to question his cousin about these claims.
Schlossberg’s criticism extended to Senator Mike Lee (R-Utah) when the senator posted about the file release. Responding directly to Lee, Schlossberg wrote: “You really care about JFK’s legacy? You’re dismantling it. Go ask Bobby for a retweet.”
This is not the first time Schlossberg has voiced opposition to the declassification efforts. Last month, when the Trump administration announced plans to release the files, he wrote on X that declassification uses his late grandfather as a political prop when he can’t defend himself.
The newly released documents are part of the National Archives’ collection of over six million pages of records related to the Kennedy assassination. According to the National Archives, about 2,200 files were included in this latest release. The vast majority of the collection had been previously released to the public.
Experts who have begun examining the files note that while they provide additional insight into U.S. government activities during the Cold War era, they do not contain any “smoking gun” revelations that would significantly alter the existing narrative about Lee Harvey Oswald’s role as the lone gunman responsible for Kennedy’s assassination.
“There’s nothing heroic about it,” Schlossberg stated about the declassification efforts, expressing his belief that using his grandfather’s assassination for political purposes was inappropriate.
The release of these records fulfills a requirement established by the 1992 President John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act, which mandated that all related records be released after 25 years, with exceptions made for national security concerns. Previous administrations had certified that continued withholding was necessary, but President Trump determined that keeping the records classified was “no longer in the public interest and is long overdue.”
While some files remain under seal due to court orders or tax return privacy laws, the National Archives has partnered with federal agencies to make these records available both online and at the National Archives facility in College Park, Maryland. The release represents a significant step in the ongoing effort to provide transparency regarding one of the most traumatic events in American history.
