Thousands of previously classified documents related to the assassination of former US President John F. Kennedy have been declassified, shedding new light on long-standing conspiracy theories surrounding the 1963 tragedy.
The documents, released on Tuesday by the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration, were made public following an order by President Donald Trump.
His directive, issued early in his presidency, sought to declassify files held back due to national security concerns.
The National Archives holds an extensive collection of over six million pages of records, including photographs, motion pictures, sound recordings, and other materials related to Kennedy’s assassination.
While most of these documents have been released over the years, an estimated 3,000 records remained classified.
CIA links and mafia connections
Among the newly declassified files, some contain details about the Central Intelligence Agency’s (CIA) activities during the 1960s, including its surveillance operations and potential ties to the assassination.
Researchers have long speculated about the agency’s involvement, given the political climate of the Cold War and Kennedy’s tense relationship with intelligence agencies.
Additionally, the documents reportedly mention links between the mafia and key figures involved in the assassination. Theories suggesting that organised crime had a role in Kennedy’s killing have persisted for decades, fuelled by his administration’s crackdown on crime syndicates.
Second shooter theories resurface
Kennedy was assassinated on November 22, 1963, while his motorcade passed through Dealey Plaza in Dallas, Texas. The official Warren Commission report, published in 1964, concluded that Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone, firing shots from the sixth floor of the Texas School Book Depository.
However, theories suggesting a second shooter have gained traction over the years, particularly among those skeptical of the official narrative.
Some of the newly released files reportedly contain witness statements and forensic analyses that have reignited debates over whether Oswald was the sole perpetrator.
Trump’s disclosure and Biden’s delays
While campaigning for office, Trump pledged full transparency regarding the Kennedy files. However, upon taking office in 2017, he held back certain documents, citing concerns over potential harm to national security.
His administration ultimately released thousands of records but left others classified. Subsequent releases continued under President Joe Biden’s tenure, but some files remain undisclosed.
During a visit to the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, Trump hinted at the magnitude of the remaining files, telling reporters, “We have a tremendous amount of paper. You’ve got a lot of reading.”
Despite multiple government investigations, including the House Select Committee on Assassinations’ probe in the 1970s, which suggested Kennedy may have been the victim of a conspiracy, the mystery surrounding his death continues to captivate researchers and historians.
The FBI disclosed last month that it had discovered about 2,400 new records related to the assassination. However, experts caution that the newly released documents are unlikely to provide definitive answers.
The federal government first mandated in the early 1990s that all assassination-related documents be consolidated in the National Archives. The collection was meant to be fully declassified by 2017, barring any exemptions by the sitting president.
