The Biden administration has unveiled the near entirety of the classified documents pertaining to the 1963 assassination of President John F. Kennedy, fulfilling a long-standing commitment to transparency. The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) concluded its review in May, with the final batch of authorized documents now accessible to the public.

This marks the culmination of a process initiated by the 1992 JFK Records Act, which mandated the eventual release of all related documents. While the original target date was 2017, previous administrations, including those of Presidents Trump and Biden, deferred disclosures based on concerns raised by intelligence agencies. While substantial releases occurred under the Trump administration, many documents contained redactions. The Biden administration has progressively declassified over 16,000 records since 2021, culminating in this near-complete disclosure. Over 99% of the collection is now available via the National Archives, with ongoing digitization efforts further enhancing public access.

This release addresses persistent public speculation and theories surrounding the assassination, including allegations of governmental secrecy. President Biden's memo emphasizes the balance between transparency and safeguarding national security interests. The implemented Transparency Plans aim to maximize public access while adhering to the protective standards outlined in the JFK Records Act, addressing concerns related to military defense, intelligence operations, law enforcement, and foreign relations.

As a reminder, President Kennedy was assassinated by Lee Harvey Oswald, a former U.S. Marine, during a motorcade in Dallas, Texas. Oswald was subsequently killed two days later by Jack Ruby while being transferred from city to county jail.