Donald Trump released 2,800 secret documents pertaining to the John F. Kennedy assassination in 1963, which were held by the National Archives. However, Trump blocked the release of some of the files, caving to pressure from the CIA and FBI. Those files are now under a six-month review.
“I am ordering today that the veil finally be lifted,” Trump wrote the agencies in a memo. But after the last minute nudge to hold off on releasing some of the documents, he said, “I have no choice — today — but to accept those redactions rather than allow potentially irreversible harm to our nation’s security.”
WikiLeaks, however, found the president's decision to block the remaining files as unacceptable. On Thursday night, the organization offered a reward of $100,000 for the withheld secret documents that were planned for release.
WikiLeaks issues a $100,000 reward for the withheld JFK documents should they show violations of law, inefficiency,… https://t.co/5bYqSoskRv— WikiLeaks (@WikiLeaks)1509064855.0
The CIA issued a statement explaining that 69,000 of the 87,000 John F. Kennedy assassination files have been released in their entirety and that the redacted parts of the withheld files reflect less than 1 percent of the entire 1963 assassination-related case.
The CIA alleged that the redactions were necessary because the remaining documents contained information that could pose a threat to national security. Almost five decades later.
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According to the AP, "The agency says the redactions hide the names of CIA assets and former and current CIA officers as well as specific intelligence methods and partnerships that remain viable to protect national security."
Jim Acosta, senior White House correspondent for the White House, unsurprisingly couldn't obtain further information about the files.
Officials would not comment on the content of the records either redacted or set for release. https://t.co/lNF43whkXR— Jim Acosta (@Jim Acosta)1509055597.0
I asked officials whether there were any signs of a conspiracy in secret JFK files. Officials on call with reporter… https://t.co/MCDPb3HyhJ— Jim Acosta (@Jim Acosta)1509055670.0
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange believes the redaction review period was a move against Trump by Capitol Hill.
"US intelligence agencies seem to be determined to make Trump look weak by delaying JFK files after he promised their release today," he posted on Twitter. "The agencies have had literally 25 years to prepare for the scheduled release today. The delay is inexcusable."
@KelemenCari @uliw315 CIA & FBI showing Trump who's boss!— Sharon Mc (@Sharon Mc)1509070786.0
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Apparently, 54 years was not enough for the case to remain shrouded in secrecy.
Some of the JFK Files are being held back for review? By whom? Why can't the American people review them? We've waited 54 years. 2,800 JFK— Cari Kelemen (@Cari Kelemen)1509060259.0
The fact that 54 years later there is still stuff CIA & FBI doesn't want to release about JFK assassination should trouble people!— Jeet Heer (@Jeet Heer)1509059957.0
The assassination case has long been studied and exhaustively researched by conspiracy theorists, but Trump's deferral to the agencies only heightens suspicions that the government is still concealing some sort of bombshell evidence.
But Administration officials insist that there are no major revelations that will change the narrative of Lee Harvey Oswald acting alone, and careful measures are being implemented to avoid compromising national security and intelligence gathering protocol.
Are the released findings enough to satisfy conspiracy theorists looking for more? Probably not, but the ancillary details that emerged after the assassination is still creating a discussion, including mention of the Soviet Union's response, who assumed it was a "coup" by the "ultra-right."
An interesting memo here from Hoover after Lee Harvey Oswald was killed. https://t.co/IGciHmvAAG #JFKFiles— Steven D'Souza (@Steven D'Souza)1509064331.0
Interesting 1966 FBI report on Soviet officials' reactions to Kennedy's assassination https://t.co/PJgcsWsgsC https://t.co/9BB3GMdSgL— Matt Ford (@Matt Ford)1509065965.0
There's a lot of random stuff in this batch, like these 1963 State Dept. documents on a Russian nuclear scientist: https://t.co/lkqqdOroZh— Matt Ford (@Matt Ford)1509070068.0
@fordm It looks like the Soviets were more interested in finding exactly what happened than the American government at the time...— lucia hoffman (@lucia hoffman)1509073928.0
Still, people aren't buying the threat to national security being relevant in 2017.
@HeerJeet I mean I’m not conspiracy type but what the hell would be a national security threat 50+ years later???— Hoff-mann Hoff-amazing (@Hoff-mann Hoff-amazing)1509060099.0
I am crazy interested in the JFK files that were supposed to be released today, but it figures America can't even follow its own laws— Evan Edinger (@Evan Edinger)1509058590.0
@77morley @EvanEdinger the deadline was yesterday. they’ve had 54 years to read through and obtain these files. nob… https://t.co/MXgU93JW6X— syd (@syd)1509114714.0
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H/T - nytimes, nydailynews, apnews, twitter