Why JFK assassination files have been kept secret for years as Donald Trump orders their release
President Trump has ordered the release of thousands of classified document
For decades, the files surrounding John F. Kennedy’s assassination have remained locked away. But with newly sworn-in President Donald Trump taking office, that secrecy may soon be lifted. On January 23, Trump signed an executive order demanding the release of classified documents related to the 1963 assassination of JFK, as well as those concerning the deaths of Robert F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr. This move marks a significant shift in transparency, potentially shedding new light on these historic events.
Government officials have explained that the files were originally classified to safeguard national security, protect intelligence sources, and preserve ongoing investigations. However, the continued secrecy has sparked widespread speculation, with many questioning why these documents remain hidden, especially as the JFK assassination has fueled countless conspiracy theories over the years.
“More than 50 years after the tragic assassinations of President John F. Kennedy, Senator Robert F. Kennedy, and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the federal government has still not released all records related to these pivotal events,” the executive order reads. “The families of these individuals, along with the American people, deserve transparency and truth. It is in the national interest to finally release all records related to these assassinations without delay.”
President Trump, calling the order “a big one,” assured reporters, “Everything will be revealed.”
He had long pledged to release the remaining documents on JFK’s assassination, but many researchers remain skeptical that he will be able to make all of them public. The CIA and FBI challenged similar promises during his first term, arguing that releasing certain information could jeopardize the identities of informants.
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) also raised concerns, with a 2018 letter to the Archives citing the Mafia’s violent history as a reason to maintain secrecy.
JFK was assassinated in Dallas, Texas, in 1963. (Bettmann/Getty Images)
“The well-documented history of Mafia violence means it’s reasonable to expect that those involved, if still alive, could face significant retaliation,” the DEA stated.
In addition to these concerns, both the Department of Defense and the State Department have raised national security issues. The Pentagon, in particular, has argued that some of the classified documents contain sensitive nuclear information, war plans, and intelligence unrelated to the assassination itself.
While millions of government records are tied to JFK’s assassination, only a few thousand remain fully classified. However, those who have examined the released documents caution that the public shouldn’t expect dramatic new revelations.
“There’s always the possibility that something might slip through—just a small piece of a much larger puzzle that could reveal something significant,” said Larry Sabato, director of the University of Virginia Center for Politics and author of The Kennedy Half-Century, in an interview with The Guardian.
“That’s what researchers are searching for. The odds are you won’t find it, but there’s always a chance it’s out there.”
