Trump has just weeks to decide if he wants to release super-secret files about the JFK assassination
President Trump once accused the father of campaign rival Ted Cruz of having a hand in the assassination of former President John F. Kennedy. Ironically, in just weeks it could fall on Trump to decide whether or not to release 3,600 top-secret government files about the 1963 assassination, Politico Magazine reports.
A 1992 law set a deadline of Oct. 26, 2017 for the president to decide whether or not to unseal the files; that means the decision will now be Trump's to make. A White House official confirmed to Politico that the Trump administration is "familiar with the requirements," and that they are working "to enable a smooth process in anticipation of the October deadline."
Trump is a big fan of conspiracy theories; in addition to the accusation about Cruz's father, Trump has propagated the idea that former President Barack Obama was not born in the United States and claimed that climate change is a Chinese hoax. Trump can keep the JFK documents secret if he believes it "necessary by an identifiable harm to military defense, intelligence operations, law enforcement, or conduct of foreign relations," or if he decides that "the identifiable harm is of such gravity that it outweighs the public interest in disclosure."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Martha W. Murphy, who oversees the archives, said last month she hopes to begin unsealing the files as soon as this summer, before the October deadline, meaning Trump might need to make a decision much sooner.
Don't get your hopes up too high, though: Judge John R. Tunheim, the former chairman of the Assassination Records Review Board, said he knew of "no bombshells" in the papers. Murphy added: "As you can imagine, we're not reading them for [revelations], so we're probably not the best people to tell you … I will say this: This collection is really interesting as a snapshot of the Cold War."
Read more about the files at Politico Magazine.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.
-
5 hilariously spirited cartoons about the spirit of Christmas
Cartoons Artists take on excuses, pardons, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Inside the house of Assad
The Explainer Bashar al-Assad and his father, Hafez, ruled Syria for more than half a century but how did one family achieve and maintain power?
By The Week UK Published
-
Sudoku medium: December 22, 2024
The Week's daily medium sudoku puzzle
By The Week Staff Published
-
Putin says Russia isn't weakened by Syria setback
Speed Read Russia had been one of the key backers of Syria's ousted Assad regime
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Georgia DA Fani Willis removed from Trump case
Speed Read Willis had been prosecuting the election interference case against the president-elect
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Democrats blame 'President Musk' for looming shutdown
Speed Read The House of Representatives rejected a spending package that would've funding the government into 2025
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Trump, Musk sink spending bill, teeing up shutdown
Speed Read House Republicans abandoned the bill at the behest of the two men
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Congress reaches spending deal to avert shutdown
Speed Read The bill would fund the government through March 14, 2025
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Luigi Mangione charged with murder, terrorism
Speed Read Magnione is accused of murdering UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Ex-FBI informant pleads guilty to lying about Bidens
Speed Read Alexander Smirnov claimed that President Joe Biden and his son Hunter were involved in a bribery scheme with Ukrainian energy company Burisma
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
South Korea impeaches president, eyes charges
Speed Read Yoon Suk Yeol faces investigations on potential insurrection and abuse of power charges
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published