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Congressmen Cohen, Schweikert and Burchett Write to Trump Seeking Release of JFK Assassination Records

January 23, 2025

Suggest structure to ensure efficient release

WASHINGTON – Congressmen Steve Cohen (TN-9), David Schweikert (AZ-1), and Tim Burchett (TN-2) today wrote to President Trump urging him to act on a campaign promise to release the remaining records associated with the assassination of President John F. Kennedy (JFK) in 1963. Hours later, President Trump took a large step forward in that process, issuing an executive order that directs the government to develop a plan to release the remaining JFK assassination-related records as well as records regarding the assassinations of Robert F. Kennedy and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., both of which occurred in 1968. 

The letter reads in part:

“We write to commend your commitment to declassify all remaining government records related to the tragic assassination of President John F. Kennedy on November 22, 1963. Your pledge to bring transparency to this pivotal moment in our nation's history reflects a dedication to the principles of open government and accountability.

“After 61 years, the American people deserve to know what the federal government knows about the assassination and those involved…

“We believe this step is crucial for preserving our nation's history and, hopefully, will bring closure to one of the most debated and consequential events in modern American history.”

The letter includes ten suggestions to fully and efficiently release the JFK documents.  These include establishing an oversight board for the archive and requiring agencies to verify that all records were transmitted to the National Archives and that the archive is complete.   

See the entire letter here.

Jefferson Morley, vice president of the Mary Ferrell Foundation which maintains a JFK records archive, who is also editor of the JFK Facts newsletter on Substack, made the following statement: 

“This is welcome news to those of us who have been calling for the release of all the JFK, RFK and MLK records for more than a decade. To succeed, the administration’s plan must include all 3,600-plus records held by the National Archives, as well as assassination-related records that are in government or private possession but not yet added to the Archives’s JFK collection. The details are crucial to effective implementation. Congressional oversight can finally ensure full JFK disclosure.” 

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