For six decades, the assassination of former president John F. Kennedy has been shrouded in mystery, fueling countless conspiracy theories. Now, with the release of thousands of declassified government documents, new insights into the events surrounding that fateful day in Dallas have emerged.
On November 22, 1963, former president John F. Kennedy was fatally shot while riding in a convertible limousine through Dealey Plaza in Dallas, Texas. His assassination — one of the most shocking moments in American history — has been the subject of investigations, speculation, and debate for 60 years.
The official story points to Lee Harvey Oswald, who was arrested for the crime, but before he could stand trial, Jack Ruby gunned him down, adding another layer of intrigue to the case. Now, a fresh release of thousands of classified documents has brought new details to light.
Ordered by President Donald Trump to reveal the “truth,” an archive houses files of intelligence reports, CIA operations, and foreign espionage records. These long-awaited documents promise to reignite debates over who really killed Kennedy — and why.
Bombshell 1 – The British Embassy Was Warned About Oswald
The newly declassified files reveal that warnings about Oswald’s intentions may have been ignored months before former president Kennedy’s assassination.
According to a letter sent to the British Embassy, a man named Sergyj Czornonoh claimed that he had informed officials in London about Oswald as early as July 1963.
Czornonoh, who had been detained by British authorities at the time, allegedly told them that Oswald was planning to kill the former president. Despite this, it appears no immediate action was taken. The document also suggests that U.S. officials had received similar warnings.
American Vice Consul Tom Blackshear was reportedly informed that Oswald, who had previously defected to the Soviet Union, was an assassin and had acquired — or was attempting to acquire — a weapon.
Blackshear even discussed a theory that right-wing groups would invite Kennedy to an event and use it as an opportunity to publicly criticize him before orchestrating his assassination.
Despite these alarming reports, the CIA failed to take decisive action against Oswald. He was neither reprimanded nor placed under close surveillance upon his return to the United States.
This raises further questions about whether intelligence agencies missed key warning signs — or chose to ignore them — in the months leading up to Kennedy’s assassination.
Bombshell 2 – Oswald Wasn’t Controlled by the KGB
For decades, speculation swirled around whether Oswald had ties to Soviet intelligence. The newly released files offer a definitive statement on the matter — Oswald was never an agent of the KGB.
According to the documents, American professor E.B. Smith had several discussions with a CIA contact in St. Petersburg in the months leading up to former president Kennedy’s assassination.
Through this connection, Smith learned about a prominent KGB official, Slava Nikonov, who was not only a longtime insider within Soviet intelligence but also the grandson of Vyacheslav Molotov, the Soviet foreign minister under Joseph Stalin.
Nikonov personally reviewed classified KGB files on Oswald and determined that there was no indication he had been recruited or directed by Soviet intelligence.
The files described Oswald as unpredictable and erratic, making him an unlikely candidate for KGB control. The document explicitly states that Nikonov was “confident that Oswald was at no time an agent controlled by the KGB.”
However, the records confirm that the KGB monitored Oswald closely during his time in the Soviet Union. His behavior and his troubled marriage to Marina Oswald were noted in the files, as was his lack of discipline with firearms. Soviet officials doubted his abilities and viewed him as a potential liability rather than an asset.
This revelation dismantles one of the longest-running conspiracy theories about Oswald’s possible ties to Soviet intelligence. While the KGB kept tabs on him, the idea that he was a sleeper agent or acting under Soviet orders is directly contradicted by internal KGB assessments.
Bombshell 3 – CIA’s Expanding Covert Influence Over U.S. Policy
The newly released JFK files expose the extent of the CIA’s covert operations and its increasing encroachment into U.S. policy-making, revealing an intelligence network that operated far beyond traditional oversight.
A 1961 memo titled “CIA Reorganization” written for former president Kennedy, provides a rare inside look at how deeply the agency had embedded itself in global affairs.
The memo, authored by historian and White House insider Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr., confirms that more than 1,500 CIA employees were working abroad under the cover of State Department positions.
Originally, this practice was meant to be limited and temporary, but the CIA abandoned alternative infiltration methods because diplomatic cover was faster and cheaper.
The files note that 128 CIA personnel were stationed in the Paris Embassy alone, with their activities well-known to local officials. This aligns with broader revelations that the CIA had operatives influencing elections and labor movements in countries such as Brazil, Finland, Cyprus, Greece, and Spain.
Perhaps most concerning is that the memo acknowledges how the agency often acted independently, only informing the State Department after operations were already in motion. This meant that U.S. diplomats were sometimes left dealing with the fallout of intelligence-led initiatives they had no prior knowledge of.
These revelations confirm long-standing suspicions that the CIA’s role in global and domestic affairs extended far beyond intelligence gathering — shaping foreign policy and engaging in political manipulation on a scale previously thought to be speculation rather than fact.
Bombshell 4 – A CIA Insider Turned Up Dead
The newly declassified JFK files bring renewed attention to the mysterious death of Gary Underhill, a former military intelligence agent and CIA insider who allegedly knew too much about the assassination.
According to the documents, Underhill — a recognized expert in small arms and military affairs — was on close terms with high-ranking CIA officials and had deep knowledge of the agency’s covert operations.
The files cite a 1967 Ramparts magazine report, which claims that the day after Kennedy was shot, Underhill abruptly fled Washington, fearing for his life. He confided in friends that a rogue faction within the CIA was responsible for the assassination and suggested he might have to flee the country.
Less than six months later, Underhill was found dead in his Washington apartment. The coroner ruled it a suicide, but the details surrounding his death fueled suspicions.
His body was discovered by journalist Asher Brynes, who noted that Underhill had been shot behind his left ear — a strange detail considering Underhill was right-handed.
Even more suspiciously, an automatic pistol was found under his left side, leading some to believe that the gun was placed there to stage a suicide. Neighbors reported hearing no gunshot, suggesting a silencer may have been used.
The files also highlight Underhill’s connections to Samuel Cummings, an arms dealer whose company, Interarmco, supplied weapons to the CIA. Strangely, the documents note that Klein’s Sporting Goods, the company that sold Oswald the mail-order rifle allegedly used to assassinate Kennedy, was one of Cummings’ clients.
The resurfacing of these details has fueled long-standing suspicions that Underhill may have been silenced because of what he knew.
His claims of a CIA clique engaged in gun-running, narcotics, and political manipulation — as well as his insistence that Kennedy was killed before he could expose them — paint a chilling picture of what may have led to his death.
Bombshell 5 – Oswald’s Contact With a Soviet ‘Assassin’ in Mexico City
The declassified JFK files reveal new details about Oswald’s visit to the Soviet Embassy in Mexico City just weeks before Kennedy’s assassination — a meeting that has fueled speculation for decades.
According to the documents, Oswald met with Valeriy Vladimirovich Kostikov, a Soviet diplomat who was also suspected of being an intelligence officer linked to KGB “Department 13” — a unit allegedly responsible for assassination operations.
In September or October 1963, Oswald approached the embassy seeking a visa to return to the Soviet Union, and Kostikov handled his request. However, the files explicitly state that there was no known relationship between the two beyond this visa interaction.
Kostikov, described in the files as one of the most effective and dangerous Soviet intelligence officers in Mexico, had been involved in communist operations across Central America and was suspected of providing financial and technical support to left-wing groups.
His unexpected departure from Mexico in 1971 — earlier than planned — raised further questions, though the documents suggest it may have been due to his exposure by a defecting Soviet spy.
Adding to the intrigue, the files note that Kostikov may have been a member of Department 13, but U.S. intelligence could not confirm this.
The memo also claims that, to their knowledge, the KGB had not carried out assassination operations since 1959, leaving open-ended questions about whether Kostikov’s activities in Mexico had any connection to later events.
While the documents do not confirm any direct Soviet involvement in JFK’s assassination, they underscore the fact that Oswald had direct contact with a high-ranking Soviet official suspected of assassination work — an explosive detail that adds to the mystery surrounding his motives and possible influences.
Bombshell 6 – The Umbrella Man — Conspiracy or Clue?
Among the many theories surrounding JFK’s assassination, few are as bizarre — or enduring — as the Umbrella Man. In footage from Dealey Plaza on November 22, 1963, a man can be seen standing on the sidewalk holding a black umbrella, despite the clear and sunny weather.
Louie Steven Witt/Umbrella Man/JFK https://t.co/NkBVd6sg3W pic.twitter.com/1G5EY8FvcY
— CRAZY DAYS AND NIGHTS (@CrazyDaysPoster) December 10, 2024
For decades, speculation swirled around whether this seemingly innocent bystander was actually a key player in a larger assassination plot.
One of the most sensational claims suggests that the umbrella concealed a secret weapon, capable of firing a poison dart at Kennedy. According to this theory, the dart paralyzed the former president, setting him up for the fatal headshot.
The "Umbrella Man" is a part of JFK assassination lore himself.
Why was he holding and operating an umbrella on an otherwise clear day?#XFilesLivehttps://t.co/PzNkvOhQAu pic.twitter.com/kaTrJWjGqk
— ALLLLRIGHT (@Allllright) September 5, 2023
The idea gained traction in conspiracy circles and was even referenced in Oliver Stone’s 1991 film “JFK” where the Umbrella Man was depicted signaling fellow assassins. However, no evidence supports the idea that the umbrella was anything more than a political protest.
In 1978, the House Select Committee on Assassinations (HSCA) identified the man as Louis Witt, who testified under oath that he had brought the umbrella as a symbolic protest against Kennedy’s father, Joseph P. Kennedy, and his support of British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain’s appeasement policies before World War II.
The umbrella, a known symbol of Chamberlain, was meant as a historical jab — not a weapon. Despite Witt’s explanation, some conspiracy theorists remain unconvinced.
Some claim his umbrella had a different number of spokes than the one shown in Dealey Plaza, while others believe he was part of a coordinated signal operation.
Whether a harmless bystander or something more, the Umbrella Man remains one of the most enigmatic figures in the endless speculation surrounding Kennedy’s assassination.
The JFK files, released under Donald Trump’s order, confirm some facts while fueling further debate. While the full truth may never be settled, these documents offer a deeper glimpse into one of history’s most scrutinized crimes.
If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), text “help” to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741, or go to suicidepreventionlifeline.org.
