Trump’s JFK Promise Could Bring Closure To Assassination

Former president Donald Trump promised that if he was elected in 2024, he would release more than 3,000 remaining documents partially or totally held in secret related to the assassination of former President John F. Kennedy.

Trump’s pledge is the most significant one yet regarding the murder of the 35th president.

The former president said that he “released a lot, as you know. And I will release everything else.” 

Trump’s promise would fulfill more than 30 years of promises by successive presidents to fully release all documents related to the assassination. 

The 45th president said that he would not comment on the potential content of the documents and that “I will release the remaining portion very early in my term.”

The former president showed considerable interest in the Kennedy assassination during his time in politics. During his presidency, Trump released thousands of files related to the murder.

The release of files in 2017 and 2018 also coincided with a pledge to release any remaining files by 2021. However, not all documents have yet been revealed.

President Joe Biden released more documents related to the slaying in 2021 and 2022.

According to the National Archives, more than 97% of documents related to the 1963 crime are available to the public. 

The President John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act of 1992, commonly known as the JFK Act, stated that other records’ release may be delayed due to “an identifiable harm to military defense, intelligence operations, law enforcement or conduct of foreign relations,” according to the National Archives.

The Archives stated that there are currently “515 documents withheld in full and another 2,545 documents withheld in part” under some of the provisions of the JFK Act. 

“The National Archives and the Department of Justice are working together to determine whether information in five records withheld in full under court seal or for grand jury secrecy under section 10 of the JFK Act can be released,” the Archives said.