The assassination of President John F. Kennedy on November 22, 1963, remains one of the most debated events in American history. Despite decades of investigations, conspiracy theories, and partial document releases, many questions have remained unanswered. However, with the latest release of over 63,000 pages of classified records by the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) on March 18, 2025, new insights have emerged. These documents, declassified under Executive Order 14176, signed by President Donald Trump, shed new light on possible conspiracies, government surveillance of Lee Harvey Oswald, and potential intelligence failures that may have contributed to Kennedy’s death.
Official Findings vs. Emerging Evidence
The official government position, as determined by the Warren Commission (1964), remains that Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone in assassinating Kennedy from the sixth floor of the Texas School Book Depository in Dallas, Texas. However, the House Select Committee on Assassinations (HSCA) in 1979 concluded that there was a high probability of a conspiracy, though it did not identify who was behind it.
The newly declassified files provide new context to these investigations, showing that Oswald was monitored by the CIA and FBI before the assassination, raising concerns about whether he was merely a lone gunman or part of a larger plot.
Who Ordered the Assassination?
While the new files do not contain a “smoking gun” definitively proving a conspiracy, they strengthen several longstanding theories:
1. CIA Involvement
The documents confirm that the CIA had Oswald under surveillance prior to Kennedy’s assassination. They reveal that:
- The CIA had intercepted Oswald’s communications with the Soviet and Cuban embassies in Mexico City just weeks before the assassination.
- Certain high-ranking CIA officials kept details about Oswald hidden from other government agencies.
- A “rogue faction” within the CIA may have been involved in planning the assassination due to Kennedy’s opposition to covert military operations, including his attempts to limit the CIA’s influence after the failed Bay of Pigs invasion.
2. Mafia Retaliation
Kennedy’s Attorney General, Robert F. Kennedy, led an aggressive crackdown on organized crime, leading many to believe the mafia had a motive for revenge. The newly released documents include:
- Wiretaps and informant reports indicating that mob figures, including Sam Giancana and Carlos Marcello, had discussed eliminating the Kennedys.
- A report suggesting that Jack Ruby, who killed Oswald two days after Kennedy’s assassination, had ties to organized crime.
3. Foreign Government Connections
Another significant revelation in the files concerns Oswald’s interactions with Cuban and Soviet officials:
- The documents confirm that Oswald visited the Cuban and Soviet embassies in Mexico City in September 1963, where he allegedly discussed plans to assassinate Kennedy.
- A newly declassified CIA memo suggests that Cuban intelligence agents may have encouraged Oswald, though there is no direct evidence that Fidel Castro ordered the assassination.
- Soviet records reveal that the KGB considered Oswald unstable and did not recruit him, despite his defection to the Soviet Union in 1959.
4. U.S. Government and Military-Industrial Complex
Some have long speculated that Kennedy’s policies, particularly his plans to withdraw from Vietnam and negotiate arms control agreements with the Soviet Union, made him an enemy of powerful figures in the U.S. government. The new files include:
- Declassified National Security Council (NSC) documents showing that Kennedy was preparing to reduce U.S. involvement in Vietnam, a move strongly opposed by military leaders.
- Evidence that the Joint Chiefs of Staff and CIA had disagreements with Kennedy’s foreign policy decisions.
- Records suggesting that Lyndon B. Johnson was aware of potential threats to Kennedy before the assassination.
Who Carried It Out?
While Oswald is still officially listed as the sole gunman, newly declassified materials support alternative theories about multiple shooters:
- Acoustic analysis from police recordings released by the HSCA in 1979 indicated the possibility of a second shooter from the grassy knoll.
- Eyewitness reports included in the new files describe gunfire from multiple directions.
- Ballistic inconsistencies in the official narrative suggest that more than three shots may have been fired, challenging the single-bullet theory.
- Declassified CIA and FBI reports mention intelligence assets present in Dallas on the day of the assassination, though their roles remain unclear.
Conclusion: Was It a Conspiracy?
While the newly released JFK assassination files do not definitively prove who ordered the assassination, they provide compelling evidence that the official lone gunman narrative is incomplete. The documents reinforce suspicions that the CIA, FBI, organized crime, or foreign governments may have had a role in Kennedy’s death—or at the very least, that key details were covered up.
The release of these files, made possible under President Trump’s declassification order, is a step toward greater transparency. However, some documents remain partially redacted or withheld due to “national security concerns”, ensuring that the full truth may remain elusive for years to come.
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