Trump's order declassifying JFK files praised by his detractors
John F. Kennedy's assassination has been the subject of enduring public fascination since he was killed in 1963.
President Donald Trump's critics couldn't contain their excitement Thursday when he ordered the remaining records related to the assassinations of former President John F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King Jr. and Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy be declassified.
Why It Matters
Trump has long promised to release the remaining so-called "JFK files."
"That's a big one, huh?" the president said while signing the order on Thursday. "A lot of people are waiting for this for a long—for years, for decades."
What To Know
Trump's order was met with praise from both sides of the aisle, including from some of his harshest critics.
Cenk Uygur, the host of The Young Turks and a left-wing political commentator, commended the move.
"Trump ordering the release of government files on JFK, RFK and MLK assassinations is a great thing," he wrote on X. "I don't know how much of the real evidence is in there, but I'll take it. And I'd like to remind my friends on the left, releasing the files was originally a left-wing position."
Mike Nellis, a Democratic strategist and one-time adviser to former Vice President Kamala Harris, also signaled his interest in seeing what's in the files.
"Me: Don't get distracted by the weird stuff Donald Trump does ... Also me: I'd like to take a look at those JFK and MLK assassination files," he wrote on X, alongside a GIF from the television show Schitt's Creek.
Michael Smerconish, a radio host and CNN political commentator who has criticized Trump, said that he's "long wanted to see the complete JFK and MLK files," but warned, "make no mistake, right now, this is the ultimate shiny object."
The "JFK files" refers to a trove of thousands of government documents related to Kennedy's assassination in Dallas, Texas, on November 22, 1963.
The files consist of investigative reports, memos, communications and other documents related to the government's investigation into the former president's death.
Newsweek reached out to the White House and the Department of Justice via email Thursday night for comment.
President Donald Trump signs executive orders in the Oval Office on January 20, 2025 in Washington, DC. President Donald Trump signs executive orders in the Oval Office on January 20, 2025 in Washington, DC. Anna Moneymaker/Getty ImagesConspiracy Theories Surrounding The JFK Files
Kennedy's assassination and the government's conclusion that Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone in killing him are the subject of enduring fascination among journalists, politicians and members of the public.
In response to public demands for more transparency surrounding his death, Congress passed the JFK Records Act of 1992, which mandated that all records related to the assassination be released by October 26, 2017, barring any national security risks.
Trump didn't begin declassifying the records until after October 2017, citing concerns about compromising sources and methods.
During his first term, he authorized the release of tens of thousands of documents related to Kennedy's assassination. But he kept some files classified after the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and other government agencies said releasing them could pose national security risks.
Thousands of documents related to Kennedy's assassination were also made available to the public during President Joe Biden's administration. The White House said in July 2023 that 99 percent of records associated with Kennedy's assassination were available for public consumption through the National Archives and Records Administration.
Although most of the records have been released, many of them are redacted, fueling conspiracy theories about the circumstances surrounding Kennedy's assassination and the government's investigation into it.
Among other things, people have alleged that the CIA was secretly involved in the assassination; that the mafia orchestrated Kennedy's murder; that a foreign entity ordered Kennedy killed; and that the so-called American "deep state" carried out the killing.
None of these allegations have been proven, but that didn't stop people on the internet from speculating about another government cover-up even after Trump signed his order, as BBC's Shayan Sardarizadeh pointed out.
"If you think the release of JFK files will put the long-standing conspiracy theories about his assassination to rest, just wait for the deluge of conspiracy theories about the release of the files," Sardarizadeh wrote on X. "They've already begun."
What People Are Saying
Donald Trump Jr. praised his father for ordering the declassification of the remaining files, writing on X (formerly Twitter): "JFK, RFK & MLK Jr. files released. More promises made and kept."
What Happens Next
Trump's order on Thursday did not say when the files will be released, instead ordering the director of national intelligence and attorney general to present a plan within 15 days for the "full and complete release of records relating to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy."
He told officials to present a plan to release records related to King and Robert F. Kennedy within 45 days.