By Charles Switzer
2:51pm PST, Jan 25, 2025
Trump's Document Dump: Will JFK and MLK Files Reveal the Truth?
President Donald Trump's order to release confidential files on the assassinations of former President John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr. has reignited public fascination with these historic tragedies.Investigative journalist Gerald Posner, an expert on both cases, cautioned that while the files may provide "fascinating" insights, they're unlikely to offer definitive answers. "People are looking for a smoking gun."
"It's not going to be in there because it doesn't exist," he cautioned those eager for revelations.
Here's what could be exposed.
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CIA's Missed Red Flags and Oswald's Surveillance
Regarding the JFK assassination, Posner pointed to potential revelations about the CIA's surveillance of Lee Harvey Oswald, noting the agency's likely awareness of Oswald's anti-American leanings through his visits to Soviet and Cuban embassies.However, Posner likened the lack of communication between the CIA and FBI to failures in intelligence sharing before 9/11.
On Jack Ruby's killing of Oswald, Posner dismissed theories of mob involvement, calling Ruby a "wannabe" who wasn't even recognized by organized crime figures.
Autopsy Notes and Jackie Kennedy's Interviews
The files may include new details from JFK's autopsy or outtakes from writer William Manchester's interviews with Jackie Kennedy for his book Death of a President. "They'd be fascinating to see," Posner said.However, he downplayed expectations of sensational findings, such as evidence linking the Mafia to the assassination or salacious details about the Kennedy brothers' alleged affairs with Marilyn Monroe, calling those unlikely.
The FBI's Obsession With MLK: Illegal Surveillance Exposed
For the MLK assassination, Posner highlighted the FBI's illegal surveillance of the civil rights leader, driven by J. Edgar Hoover's obsessive desire to discredit King. "Hoover wanted to embarrass him in public," Posner stated.The files could reveal damaging personal details about King's private life, including allegations of drinking, infidelity, and even Communist influences in his inner circle.
These revelations could complicate King's legacy, Posner warned, though Trump may withhold such content at the family's request.
Controversy Over King's Inner Circle and FBI Allegations
One FBI report, dated just before King's assassination, alleged the presence of Communists within his close associates. It also included a minister's claim about inappropriate behavior at a King-led workshop.The report accused King of "sexual aberrations" that clashed with his public image as a moral and religious leader. Such revelations could spark intense debate about the ethics of releasing these files and their "impact on public memory."
No Smoking Gun But Endless Theories
Despite the hype surrounding the files, Posner believes conspiracy theories will persist. "The people who really think it's a conspiracy will say, 'You need to do more,'" he remarked.Even if damning evidence once existed, Posner suspects it was destroyed long ago. He predicts the documents will provide more context but won't silence speculation about who truly killed the two 1960s icons.