Trump Comments on JFK Assassination Following Declassification of Government Files
Former U.S. President Donald Trump has reignited discussions surrounding the assassination of John F. Kennedy by sharing his perspective on who was responsible for the fatal shooting.
At 78 years old, Trump authorized the public release of an additional 80,000 pages of documents related to the 1963 assassination. The materials were made available on March 17, with the former president suggesting they contained significant information.
Despite widespread anticipation, many who reviewed the declassified documents found them less revealing than expected. Experts have suggested that the prolonged secrecy surrounding the files was likely intended to protect intelligence-gathering methods employed by the CIA, rather than to conceal explosive information about the case itself.
One document that many researchers had been eager to examine was notably absent from the release, fueling continued speculation and debate among conspiracy theorists.
The official account of the assassination states that on November 22, 1963, President Kennedy was shot while riding in an open-top vehicle through Dallas, Texas. According to authorities, Lee Harvey Oswald fired three shots from the Texas School Book Depository, striking the president. The same attack injured Texas Governor John Connally, who was also in the vehicle with his wife, Nellie, and First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy.
Oswald was taken into custody but was assassinated two days later by nightclub owner Jack Ruby before his trial could take place. This abrupt turn of events has led to ongoing skepticism about the true circumstances surrounding Kennedy’s death.
Over the weekend, Trump discussed the matter in an interview with political commentator Clay Travis aboard Air Force One. When asked whether he believed Oswald was the sole perpetrator, Trump responded, “I do, and I’ve always felt that.” However, he also acknowledged the lingering question: “But of course, was he helped?”
The assassination of the 35th U.S. president has been the subject of numerous theories, with speculation that various organizations, including the mafia and the CIA, may have been involved. Nonetheless, official investigations have consistently concluded that Oswald acted alone, despite his claim that he was “just a patsy” prior to his own death.
The recent declassification was intended to dispel uncertainty surrounding Kennedy’s assassination, yet it has seemingly only fueled further public curiosity. Trump himself admitted that the newly released files were “somewhat unspectacular,” but added that this might not necessarily be a bad thing.
