US releases thousands of secret Kennedy assassination files

PTI IMAGE

The American public expects - and deserves-its government to provide as much access as possible to President John F Kennedy Assassination Records (records) so that the people may finally be fully informed about all aspects of this pivotal event, Trump argued. / PTI IMAGE

"This temporary withholding from full public disclosure is necessary to protect against harm to the military defence, intelligence operations, law enforcement, or the conduct of foreign relations that is of such gravity that it outweighs the public interest in immediate disclosure," Trump said in a statement. / FILE AFP IMAGE

The assassination shocked the nation and spawned a conspiracy industry that continues to pump out alternative theories about who was really behind the killing. However, at the request of security agencies, Trump agreed to withhold some files. He ordered that they be reviewed in the next 180 days./ FILE AFP IMAGE

In a statement, the National Archives said that on orders from Trump it had released 2,891 records related to the assassination of Kennedy in Dallas on November 22, 1963. / FILE AFP IMAGE