The assassination of former U.S. President John F. Kennedy on November 22, 1963, in Dallas, Texas, remains a subject of controversy even after six decades. Recently, the Trump administration declassified over 2,000 previously secret documents, bringing renewed attention to the case. Despite persistent conspiracy theories, the newly released files do not provide substantial evidence contradicting the U.S. government’s official narrative. However, they do shed new light on intelligence gathered during the Cold War and provide detailed reports on Kennedy’s assassin.
What Do These Documents Reveal?
A significant number of Americans have long doubted the official explanation of Kennedy’s assassination. According to a 2023 Gallup poll, 65% of Americans rejected the findings of the Warren Commission, which concluded that Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone. Experts reviewing the newly released files state that the documents do not change this long-standing conclusion.
Mark Selverstone, a professor at the University of Virginia’s Presidential Studies Department, commented:
“The idea that Oswald acted alone and that there was no broader conspiracy remains unchallenged by these new documents.”
New Details About the Assassin
The declassified documents confirm that before killing Kennedy, Oswald visited the Soviet and Cuban embassies in Mexico City. Intelligence reports included in the files provide detailed information about Oswald’s movements.
According to the records, Oswald renounced his U.S. citizenship and moved to the Soviet Union in 1959 but returned to the U.S. in 1962. A Soviet intelligence officer named Nikonov reviewed KGB files and found no evidence that Oswald was ever a KGB agent. The documents also reveal that U.S. intelligence agencies closely monitored Oswald upon his return to America. Reports from the 1990s suggest that Oswald lacked the shooting skills typically associated with a professional assassin.
CIA Operations and Foreign Interventions
The documents provide extensive details about U.S. intelligence operations during the Cold War. One such operation, “Operation Mongoose,” was a secret mission aimed at destabilizing Cuba’s communist government. The files also disclose that the CIA deployed around 1,500 spies worldwide, with 128 stationed at the U.S. embassy in Paris, posing as diplomats.
A memo from JFK’s advisor, Arthur Schlesinger Jr., warned that using intelligence operatives under diplomatic cover could undermine the U.S. State Department’s role in foreign affairs.
The documents further confirm that the CIA was involved in attempts to overthrow foreign governments. For example, in 1963, CIA operatives in Cuba plotted against Fidel Castro’s government. Another memo details “Operation E4D,” a secret mission to overthrow Dominican Republic President Rafael Trujillo. Trujillo was assassinated in May 1961 while traveling in his car, a year after the U.S. had severed diplomatic ties with the Dominican Republic.
How Many JFK-Related Documents Have Been Released?
Before this latest release, the U.S. government had reviewed about 99% of the available JFK-related records—nearly 320,000 documents—under the 1992 JFK Records Act. During his presidency, Donald Trump promised full disclosure of these records but, due to requests from the CIA and FBI, released only 2,800 documents. The Biden administration later declassified another 17,000 files. Until recently, about 4,700 documents remained classified. Last month, the FBI discovered an additional 2,400 records.
Despite expectations, many of the newly released documents are duplicates of previously disclosed materials, offering little new insight.
Conspiracy Theories Surrounding JFK’s Assassination
For decades, numerous conspiracy theories have surrounded Kennedy’s assassination. However, experts state that the new documents do not provide any significant evidence supporting these theories.
A 2023 Gallup poll found that 20% of Americans believe the U.S. government was involved in Kennedy’s assassination, while 16% suspect Oswald was a CIA operative. However, the newly released files contain no proof supporting these claims.
Other long-standing conspiracy theories suggest foreign adversaries orchestrated the assassination or that Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson was involved. Some believe organized crime played a role. Intelligence agencies investigated these theories, but the documents confirm that no credible evidence supports such claims.
Despite the new information, the mystery and speculation surrounding JFK’s assassination persist.