A fresh batch of documents related to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy has just been released, fueling renewed interest and debate.
The new collection, which went public on the National Archives website Tuesday evening, includes over 63,000 pages of material, offering a deep dive into the investigation, conspiracies, and the CIA’s involvement in the case.
Despite the massive release, experts say the documents are not likely to dramatically shift the established narrative about the tragic event that shook the world in 1963.
An Overwhelming Release of Files
The latest release of files, totaling 2,182 documents, includes both typed reports and handwritten notes that span several decades.
Among the new revelations are details from a CIA agent who claimed that the deep state was responsible for the assassination.
There are also claims that Lee Harvey Oswald, Kennedy’s alleged assassin, was a poor shot and that Secret Service officials had been warned of the assassination months before it occurred.
These newly revealed documents have caused a stir, especially within the Trump administration.
The president had long promised to release these files, and upon his return to the White House in January, efforts to make them public were ramped up.
The files were released at 7 pm, sparking reactions ranging from frustration to confusion.
While many liberals argued the release was just a repeat of the same information released by President Biden years ago, Trump’s supporters were angered by continued redactions, calling the files “impenetrable.”
Key Details Amid the Redactions
Despite the backlash, some intriguing details did emerge from the new files.
One document discussed a CIA informant named John Garrett Underhill Jr., who alleged that a small clique within the agency was responsible for the assassination.
Underhill, who was later found dead under mysterious circumstances, claimed he feared for his life.
This document had already been circulated publicly in the past, but its reappearance ignited renewed discussion, especially among conservative social media circles.
Another noteworthy revelation in the release involved Lee Harvey Oswald’s time in the USSR.
According to a document, the KGB closely watched Oswald, and there were suggestions that Oswald was not a skilled marksman.
However, this detail does not seem to offer new insight into the event, as experts have been aware of Oswald’s poor shooting skills for some time.
Trump’s Efforts to Release the Files
The release of these documents fulfills a promise made by former President Donald Trump during his first term in office.
Throughout his presidency, Trump indicated his intention to make the files public, but certain documents were held back due to concerns over national security.
This latest release, according to experts, does not contain any earth-shattering revelations, but it still serves as a step towards greater transparency.
In the hours leading up to the release, Trump’s national security team scrambled to ensure no sensitive information about living individuals would be exposed.
Despite these efforts, some documents remain redacted, which has led to frustration from those who had hoped for full disclosure.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt dismissed concerns about surprise revelations, arguing that anyone surprised by the release had not been paying attention to Trump’s promises.
Criticism of the File Organization and Redactions
The newly released documents, however, have faced criticism for their disorganization and poor quality.
Some documents were difficult to read due to faded text, illegible handwriting, and excessive redactions.
Researchers hoping for full access to the files were disappointed, with some taking to social media to express their frustration.
Historians and experts, including Larry J. Sabato from the University of Virginia, have suggested that it may take months or even years to fully analyze the significance of the new information.
With around 3,500 files still being withheld or partially released, many researchers are hopeful that more information will eventually become available.
Release of Other Assassination Files
In addition to the JFK assassination documents, files related to the deaths of Robert F. Kennedy and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. were also made public.
While the Kennedy assassination has long been the subject of widespread speculation and conspiracy theories, experts, including historian Jonathan Eig, do not expect any shocking new details to emerge from these files either.
As the years pass, the likelihood of uncovering new, game-changing evidence diminishes.
While some supporters of Trump have praised the release as a step towards transparency, critics argue that the information is too fragmented and incomplete to be of much use.
As researchers continue to sift through the thousands of pages, one thing is clear—while the files may not hold the final answer to the JFK assassination, they still serve as an important chapter in the ongoing search for truth.