Donald Trump releases classified JFK files: Why now and how to access them?

According to the National Archives and Records Administration, approximately 80,000 pages of records related to former President John F Kennedy's assassination have been made public

The Donald Trump administration on Wednesday made a landmark decision by releasing 80,000 previously classified documents related to the assassination of former President John F Kennedy. This long-awaited disclosure follows President Donald Trump's executive order aimed at full transparency regarding one of America's most debated historical incidents.

 

80,000 pages now public  

 

According to the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), approximately 80,000 pages of records have been made available for public access. These documents, previously withheld or redacted, can now be downloaded from the US National Archives website or viewed in person at the National Archives in College Park, Maryland.  

 

Executive order expands scope

 

Trump's directive not only covered Kennedy’s assassination but also sought the full release of government files related to the killings of Senator Robert F Kennedy and civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. The directive, signed on Trump’s first day in office in January 2025, aimed to address decades of speculation and public demand for greater transparency.  

 

A long-awaited disclosure  

 

The assassination of John F Kennedy on November 22, 1963, remains a defining moment in American history. He was fatally shot while his motorcade passed through downtown Dallas, with the Texas School Book Depository identified as the source of the gunfire. Despite official investigations, conspiracy theories have persisted, fuelling calls for the release of classified records.

 

On that fateful day, Kennedy was on a political trip aimed at uniting the Democratic Party in Texas ahead of the 1964 election. Riding in an open convertible with his wife Jacqueline and Texas Governor John Connally, he was greeted by enthusiastic crowds along the route. As the motorcade passed the Texas School Book Depository, gunfire erupted. Kennedy was struck by two bullets — one in the neck and another fatal shot to the head — while Governor Connally was also wounded.

 

Despite immediate medical attention at Parkland Memorial Hospital, Kennedy was pronounced dead. Then Vice President Lyndon B Johnson, who was also in the motorcade, was sworn in as president just hours later aboard Air Force One.

 

Investigation and controversy

 

Lee Harvey Oswald was arrested shortly after the assassination but was killed two days later by nightclub owner Jack Ruby while being transferred to another facility. This prevented Oswald from standing trial and fueled speculation about possible conspiracies involving organised crime, the CIA, or even elements within the US government itself.

 

The Warren Commission, established by Johnson to investigate the assassination, concluded that Oswald acted alone. However, many Americans have long disputed this finding, leading to a plethora of conspiracy theories that persist today.

 

During his recent visit to the Kennedy Centre for the Performing Arts, Donald Trump emphasised the significance of the disclosure, saying that people have been waiting decades for this. He assured that the government would not redact any information. "We have a tremendous amount of paper. You've got a lot of reading. I don’t believe we’re going to redact anything. I said, just don’t redact. You can’t redact," the US President said.