Trump administration releases JFK files: Here are the 10 big revelations

The files are available to download from the US National Archives website. In a statement, the National Archives said, “As of March 18, 2025, the records are available to access either online at this page or in person, via hard copy or on analogue media formats, at the National Archives at College Park, Maryland.” (Image: AP)

The 35th president of the United States, John F Kennedy was killed on November 22, 1963, on a visit to Dallas. Here is a list of some of the top revelations in the files about the assassination of the former president. (Image: Reuters)

Lee Harvey Oswald, 24, was arrested after positioning himself as a sniper on the sixth floor. Two days later, nightclub owner Jack Ruby killed Oswald during a jail transfer.

After a year of the assassination, the Warren Commission, established by President Lyndon B Johnson for the investigation, found that Oswald acted alone and that there was no evidence of a conspiracy. (Image: National Archives)

The ballistic evidence and witness testimonies in the newly-released documents indicate the story doesn’t quite hold up. These files imply that a shot might have originated from the grassy knoll—an elevated spot in front of Kennedy’s motorcade—challenging the narrative of a single shooter. (Image: National Archives)

Another surprising discovery is the suggestion of CIA involvement in Kennedy’s assassination. A recently declassified memo from November 1963 shows that a CIA officer voiced concern regarding Oswald’s actions, notably his visits to the Soviet and Cuban embassies in Mexico City weeks before the incident. But, superiors dismissed these concerns. Although the documents do not provide evidence of a CIA-ordered assassination, they suggest the agency was either complicit or incompetent. (Image: AP)

Another memo revealed that during a September visit to the Soviet Embassy, Oswald spoke with a KGB officer via an intercepted phone call in Mexico City. Researchers said the releases have also helped them grasp that particular period during the Cold War. (Image: National Archives)

Transcripts from wiretaps indicate the potential involvement of organised crime in the plot to assassinate, with mob leaders discussing the necessity to “deal with Kennedy.” One of the documents even associates Chicago mob leaders with the training of Cuban militiamen, as reported by ABC7 Chicago. The records imply the possibility of a coalition consisting of mobsters, anti-Castro Cubans and rogue elements within the CIA. (Image: AP)

According to the memo, as Oswald was depicted in the files, the KGB officer stated: “Anyone could control Oswald, but noted that the KGB watched him closely and constantly while he was in the USSR.” It further stated that the file reflected that Oswald was a terrible shot when he attempted target shooting in the Soviet Union. (Image: National Archives)

The new records give further insight into ‘Operation Mongoose,’ a previously secret CIA-led sabotage effort against Fidel Castro’s Cuban regime that JFK personally authorised. These findings highlight how closely JFK’s administration was linked to covert Cold War conflicts. (Image: AP)

Additionally, the JFK papers contain some other bombshell revelations, including details of Officer George Joandes Funnelling $25,000 to an anti-Castro group associated with Oswald. This raised concerns about the agency’s ties with the killer. Another file demonstrates increased CIA surveillance of Oswald’s Cuban intelligence ties, with no action taken—a clear red signal. (Image: Wikimedia Commons)

The release of the JFK files was one of Trump’s early promises made after taking office to increase transparency. Tulsi Gabbard, Director of National Intelligence, stated on X that “President Trump is ushering in a new era of maximum transparency” while announcing the release of the materials. (Image: Reuters)