80,000 Pages of JFK Assassination Files To Release Today: What Are The Most Expected Revelations?

Washington DC: US President Donald Trump on Monday announced that he will release 80,000 pages of previously classified JFK assassination files- a case that has been fuelling conspiracy theories for over 60 years now.

"While we’re here I thought it’d be appropriate — we are, tomorrow, announcing and giving all of the Kennedy files," Trump told media.

Following this, all eyes are on what new revelations might emerge regarding the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. Despite over six decades of investigation and speculation, many Americans still believe that the death of the charismatic president in Dallas, Texas, may have involved a conspiracy beyond the official narrative.

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People Been Waiting For Decades...: Trump’s Makes Big Announcement

On Monday, while visiting the Kennedy Center in Washington, President Trump confirmed that the remaining government files on Kennedy’s assassination would be made public on Tuesday, March 19.

This comes after Trump signed an executive order on January 23 calling for the declassification of the JFK assassination files. This order also covers documents related to the assassinations of Kennedy’s younger brother, Robert F. Kennedy, and civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr.

The release follows the December 2022 release of additional JFK records by the US National Archives, which had previously withheld thousands of documents, citing national security concerns. This drop will bring the total number of pages made public to about five million, with the announcement of these new 80,000 pages adding fuel to the fire of speculation around the case.

What Will the New Files Reveal?

One of the most anticipated revelations from the files is any new information about the CIA’s role in Oswald’s movements leading up to the assassination. For example, questions remain about what the CIA knew of Oswald’s visits to Mexico City just weeks before the shooting, during which he visited the Soviet embassy. Gerald Posner, author of Case Closed: Lee Harvey Oswald and the Assassination of JFK, has pointed out that the CIA’s possible negligence in sharing information with the FBI could be a significant discovery.

Barbara Perry, a co-director at the Miller Center of the University of Virginia, also speculates that the documents might reveal that the CIA was following Oswald’s activities, though she emphasizes that it would not necessarily point to any conspiracy. "Certainly the FBI was, but they didn't connect the dots "But it wasn't a conspiracy on the part of the CIA or the FBI or any outside country."

Despite these expectations, experts argue that even the release of the documents may not change the minds of hardcore conspiracy theorists.

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An End to Conspiracy Theories?

Though the new files will likely provide more insight into the investigation, many scholars agree that the release is unlikely to quell conspiracy theories. Even if the documents do not contain groundbreaking information, conspiracy theorists are expected to remain steadfast in their belief that Oswald did not act alone.

The fascination surrounding the JFK assassination remains as strong as ever, fueled by public speculation, incomplete records, and dramatic new developments, such as the recent memoir by Paul Landis, a former Secret Service agent. In his book, Landis revealed that he took a bullet from the car after Kennedy was shot and left it on the president's stretcher at the hospital. While this might seem like a small detail, for those who have spent decades scrutinizing the case, it represents another unexpected layer to the complex and enduring mystery of Kennedy's death.

However, many historians and experts, caution that the new documents are unlikely to fundamentally change the established narrative.

As the release of the final documents approaches, the hope is that they will bring new clarity to the case that has captivated Americans and the world for over 60 years. However, historians remain sceptical that the truth will fully emerge, and the mysteries surrounding JFK’s assassination are likely to persist in the public consciousness. With new records to pour over and revelations to be made, it seems this enduring chapter of American history will continue to fuel debates and conspiracy theories for years to come.

(Inputs from AP)