National Archives Releases 10,000 RFK Assassination Records/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Roughly 10,000 pages of documents tied to the 1968 assassination of Sen. Robert F. Kennedy were made public Friday by the National Archives. The release is part of a broader Trump administration effort to declassify files related to high-profile political killings.
RFK Assassination Documents Released — Quick Look
- 10,000 pages related to RFK’s 1968 killing made public
- Part of Trump administration’s transparency initiative on historic assassinations
- Files had remained undigitized in government storage for decades
- RFK’s son and current HHS secretary applauds release
- Follows previous JFK assassination document disclosure in March
National Archives Releases 10,000 Pages Tied to RFK Assassination
Deep Looks
WASHINGTON (April 18, 2025) — The U.S. government released 10,000 pages of records related to the 1968 assassination of Sen. Robert F. Kennedy on Friday, marking a major disclosure of long-held documents as part of President Donald Trump’s push for transparency surrounding historic political killings.
The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) posted approximately 229 digitized files on its public website, offering the American public a fresh look into the federal investigation into Kennedy’s assassination in Los Angeles nearly six decades ago. While many of the documents had technically been public before, they remained buried in non-digitized archives and were largely inaccessible to the public.
“Nearly 60 years after the tragic assassination of Senator Robert F. Kennedy, the American people will, for the first time, have the opportunity to review the federal government’s investigation thanks to the leadership of President Trump,” said Tulsi Gabbard, Director of National Intelligence.
Gabbard called the release “long overdue” and said it would help “shine a light on the truth.”
Transparency Push Continues
The unveiling of the RFK files comes just one month after the Trump administration authorized the release of previously redacted records related to the 1963 assassination of President John F. Kennedy. Together, these efforts represent a broader campaign by the Trump White House to open long-sealed government archives to public scrutiny.
Though Trump has repeatedly voiced skepticism of U.S. intelligence agencies, he has framed the disclosures as necessary for rebuilding trust in government institutions.
“Lifting the veil on the RFK papers is a necessary step toward restoring trust in American government,” said Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., son of the late senator. He praised both Trump and Gabbard for their “courage” and “dogged efforts.”
A Legacy of Secrecy
Robert F. Kennedy, a Democratic senator from New York, was gunned down on June 5, 1968, shortly after delivering a victory speech for the California Democratic presidential primary. The suspected assassin, Sirhan Sirhan, was arrested at the scene and later convicted, though conspiracy theories and questions about the case have endured for decades.
The newly released documents are expected to shed light on federal investigative efforts, and possibly provide fresh insight into controversies surrounding Sirhan’s trial, witness testimony, and claims of multiple shooters — issues that have been the subject of debate among historians and researchers.
Though it’s unclear how much new information is included, transparency advocates hailed the release as a significant gesture.
“When critical historical records remain locked away, it creates fertile ground for doubt, suspicion, and division,” said Elena Morris, a historian with the American Historical Records Foundation. “This release is a meaningful step in the right direction.”
More Disclosures Likely
Trump’s push to unseal files from decades-old investigations has already had ripple effects in Washington. Legal and academic experts say the administration’s actions may set a precedent for future disclosures, including documents related to Cold War-era covert operations and intelligence agency oversight.
Officials have not said whether additional RFK or related files will be released later this year, though national archivists are reportedly reviewing a trove of still-classified materials.
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