The president ordered the files to be declassified as he said Americans ‘deserve the truth’
More than 60 years after President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Texas, details surrounding that day have been released by the National Archives.
Fulfilling a long-standing promise, Donald Trump has finally declassified and released key records following his return to office, declaring that Americans deserve the “truth.” On Tuesday, March 18, the long-awaited documents were posted to the National Archives’ website after Trump signed an executive order to make them public.
The initial release on Tuesday morning unveiled 1,123 records spanning 32,000 pages, followed by a second batch Tuesday night, adding 1,059 more records and an additional 31,400 pages of crucial details and key takeaways.
These documents pertain to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, officially determined to have been carried out by Lee Harvey Oswald, a Marine veteran and self-proclaimed Marxist. While much of the information has already been public knowledge, the question remains—do these records reveal anything new?
Revealing the CIA’s Secret Methods
Among the newly declassified records are explosive details about CIA surveillance tactics leading up to John F. Kennedy’s assassination—particularly their efforts to monitor Soviet and Cuban diplomatic facilities, both of which were visited by Lee Harvey Oswald before the tragic event.
The records confirm that the CIA intercepted and recorded three phone calls between Oswald and a Soviet embassy guard, though Oswald only identified himself in one of them.
But the revelations don’t stop there. The documents expose how the CIA tapped telephones in Mexico City between December 1962 and January 1963, even detailing covert techniques, such as:
- Wiretapping phones and marking them with chemicals visible only under UV light
- Fluoroscopic scanning (an X-ray method) to detect hidden microphones
- Surveillance of Soviet embassies in Mexico City and recruitment efforts to turn individuals into double agents—with some names and positions now disclosed
For years, the CIA fought to keep these details hidden, fearing that exposure could compromise their operational methods.
Adding to the intrigue, the documents reveal that Kennedy aide Arthur Schlesinger Jr. warned the president that the CIA sought to dominate contact with influential French political figures, including the President of the National Assembly—suggesting an attempt to infiltrate the politics of U.S. allies. Schlesinger’s notes also included the number of CIA sources in Austria and Chile, shedding light on the agency’s global reach.
With these once-classified details now in the open, the question remains—what other secrets are still buried within the archives?
Secret Assassination Plots Unveiled
The newly declassified documents shed fresh light on U.S. covert efforts to eliminate Fidel Castro, revealing how high-ranking officials once entertained discussions of assassination.
One 1964 document details a conversation between two intelligence assets about the possibility of killing Castro while President Lyndon B. Johnson was in office. The document claims the CIA had previously supported the idea, but the plan was ultimately shelved due to opposition from Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy (RFK).
Another bombshell revelation confirms that RFK was directly briefed on potential plots to eliminate Castro, with one document stating:
“RFK asks to be told before the CIA works with the Mafia again.”
This suggests that not only was the Kennedy administration aware of CIA assassination plots, but that they were also concerned about collaborations with organized crime—a detail long speculated but now confirmed in black and white.
With these once-hidden discussions now exposed, just how deep did these covert operations go?
Uncovering the Truth Behind Robert F. Kennedy’s Assassination
Among the newly declassified records, nearly 80 documents focus on Robert F. Kennedy’s tenure as Attorney General and U.S. Senator. However, despite his assassination in 1968, only two documents directly address his tragic death—one of which is an intelligence report from 1968, previously declassified in 2018.
This intelligence memo reveals that RFK’s murder reignited suspicions surrounding his brother John F. Kennedy’s assassination. It also discusses how New Orleans District Attorney Jim Garrison’s investigation into JFK’s death gained momentum in the wake of RFK’s killing.
One chilling excerpt states:
“The forthcoming trial of Sirhan, accused of the murder of Senator Kennedy, can be expected to cause a new wave of criticism and suspicion against the United States, claiming once more the existence of a sinister ‘political murder conspiracy.'”
This revelation underscores the global skepticism surrounding both Kennedy assassinations and suggests that the government anticipated public backlash over suspicions of a larger cover-up.
With so few documents addressing RFK’s assassination, one lingering question remains: What else is still hidden from the public?
