President Trump said he plans to make public the remaining files but to withhold the names and addresses of people mentioned who are still living.
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After authorizing the release of more than 2,800 files related to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, President Trump tweeted Friday night that he plans to make public the remaining files but to withhold the names and addresses of people mentioned who are still living.
Through the John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act of 1992, Trump ordered Thursday the release of almost 2,900 document files, but kept others secret because of requests from the CIA and FBI, which feared their release would compromise national security.
Trump said the decision to withhold names and addresses of those still alive came after consultation with White House Chief of Staff John Kelly and intelligence agencies.
Trump added that decision is intended «to put any and all conspiracy theories to rest.»
#JFKFiles pic.twitter.com/AnPBSJFh3J
Under the 1992 statue, the records were to be released Oct. 26,2017, barring presidential intervention. As the day dragged on Thursday with the documents still unreleased, many waited anxiously for the documents to be published on the National Archives’ website.
Trump tweeted Friday morning that the files were being released «carefully.»
JFK Files are being carefully released. In the end there will be great transparency. It is my hope to get just about everything to public!
Despite his decision to keep some documents secret, Trump said his move provided a new look at old secrets.
«The American public expects – and deserves – its government to provide as much access as possible to the President John F. Kennedy Assassination Records so that the people may finally be fully informed about all aspects of this pivotal event,» Trump’s memo said. «Therefore, I am ordering today that the veil finally be lifted.»
White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said in a statement that the other records would be held back for further review, and released on a rolling basis with redactions in the coming weeks.
Trump’s memo says some agencies worried the release of some details would hurt U. S. national security, law enforcement, and foreign affairs.
«I have no choice – today – but to accept those redactions rather than allow potentially irreversible harm to our nation’s security,» Trump said.
Trump ordered agencies to review the proposed redactions and justify them. This process will take up to 180 days, and the agencies have to demonstrate why the blackouts are necessary to protect their sources and methods of intelligence gathering.
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