Trump Declassifies JFK, RFK, and MLK Assassination Files

Written By Guest User

Plus, Pete Hegseth could be confirmed today as Trump's Pentagon pick, despite some GOP opposition

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Good morning,

Lights, camera, action: The Oscar nominations are here!

  • Leading the nominations is “Emilia Pérez” with 13 — just one shy of the record for most overall nominations from a single film. The Netflix musical is about a trans drug lord in Mexico and stars Karla Sofía Gascón (the first openly trans actress to receive an Oscar nod) and Zoë Saldaña.

    • ‘Wicked’ and ‘The Brutalist’ followed with 10 nominations each.⁠

    • 13 actors scored their first Oscar nods, including Kieran Culkin, Ariana Grande, Demi Moore, and Isabella Rossellini.

  • The 97th Academy Awards will air Sunday, March 2 at 7p.m. ET on ABC and will stream live on Hulu. Conan O’Brien is set to host.

Have a good one,

Mosheh, Jill, Sari, & Lauren

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📌 RIGHT ON THE LINE: WILL HEGSETH GET THE VOTES NEEDED TO BECOME DEFENSE SECRETARY?

All eyes are on the US Senate today for a major vote on whether Pete Hegseth, President Trump's controversial pick for Defense Secretary, is confirmed.

His nomination advanced in an initial 51-49 procedural vote Thursday. Republican Sens. Susan Collins (ME) and Lisa Murkowski (AK) joined Democrats in voting "no" and are expected to do the same this evening during the final confirmation vote. The question is whether any other Republicans join them in voting against Hegseth. He can only afford to lose one more Republican.

  • In lengthy statements, Collins and Murkowski explained their decisions, raising concerns about Hegseth’s comments about women in combat, along with his character, inexperience, and lack of a comprehensive FBI background check.

Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) is among the senators who hasn’t publicly stated how he’ll vote today, despite supporting Hegseth’s advancement yesterday. If McConnell comes out against Hegseth, that will mean a 50-50 tie. Vice President JD Vance would cast the tie-breaking vote to ensure Hegseth’s confirmation. But, will it end there?

THE FINAL PUSH
Earlier this week, Hegseth’s former sister-in-law told Senate lawmakers in a sworn affidavit that he abused alcohol, "drunkenly yelled” in her face in 2009, and caused his second wife, Samantha, to fear for her safety. He is also accused of repeatedly getting black out drunk as an adult.

  • In light of these allegations, Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) – who was initially a yes vote – said he sought to corroborate her accusations to make a more informed choice. By Thursday, Tillis reported that he could not find any “first-hand account” that backed the claims, so his vote remains unchanged.

IS THIS COMMON?
With the exception of President Obama’s Defense Secretary pick, Chuck Hagel, nominees for the Pentagon’s top job have historically received near-unanimous support across party lines.

  • Less controversial picks: Marco Rubio was unanimously confirmed earlier this week as Secretary of State, and Trump’s CIA pick John Ratcliffe was confirmed easily on Thursday in a 74-25 vote.

    • However, other nominees face tough roads ahead: Health Secretary nominee Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will have his confirmation hearing next Wednesday, followed by Tulsi Gabbard’s hearing to be director of national intelligence on Thursday.

📌 MLK, JFK, RFK: TRUMP VOWS TO RELEASE ALL FILES ON THE INFAMOUS 1960s ASSASSINATIONS

President Trump on Thursday moved to declassify all remaining documents related to the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy, Senator Robert F. Kennedy, and civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

  • After he signed the executive order, Trump told his aide to give the pen he used to Robert F. Kennedy Jr. — JFK’s nephew and RFK’s son, and Trump’s nominee to become Health Secretary. The two got close after RFK Jr. ended his 2024 presidential bid and backed Trump.

    • RFK Jr. has previously said he believes the CIA was behind his family members’ assassinations, as well as the coverups.

The move also comes as the president and his supporters have voiced speculation about his own assassination attempt this summer.

ZOOMING IN ON JFK
On the campaign trail, Trump promised to release classified intelligence and law enforcement files on the 1963 assassination of JFK.

  • In his first term, he released some documents related to the event, but ultimately bowed to pressure from the CIA and FBI to keep the most-anticipated documents under wraps, citing ongoing national security concerns.

    • Biden released some more, but also followed CIA and FBI guidance to hold back certain docs.

    • A 1992 law required all JFK-related documents to be released by 2017, but there are still a little more than 1,000 being held back after Trump and Biden conceded to internal pressure.

  • Trump’s recent executive order states: "I have now determined that the continued redaction and withholding of information from records pertaining to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy is not consistent with the public interest and the release of these records is long overdue.”

  • The National Archives says 99% of documents related to the JFK assassination are already public.

    • Only a few thousand of the millions of governmental records are left. Experts warn that even if all the remaining files are declassified, the public shouldn’t anticipate any earth-shattering revelations. However, you can anticipate potentially embarrassing details about how the CIA was tracking assassin Lee Harvey Oswald in the months leading up to the assassination.

WHAT ABOUT THE OTHERS?
Trump also made way for the release of documents related to the assassinations of RFK and MLK, Jr. The men were killed just two months apart in 1968.

  • Some FBI files on MLK have already been declassified over the years.

    • Under J. Edgar Hoover, the FBI monitored the civil rights leader up until his death. From tapping his phones to bugging his hotel rooms, the FBI even went as far as sending King a letter with evidence of his extramarital affairs, encouraging him to end his own life.

  • Under the Martin Luther King Jr. Records Collection Act, the remaining files on the civil rights icon were not due for release until 2027.

    • New archives could reveal more about his past, including MLK’s marital affairs and other ethically questionable behavior, but there are also ethical questions about whether the information should be released, given it was taken illegally.

Next steps: The director of national intelligence and attorney general will work with the White House to release the JFK records and present them to Trump within 15 days. The same will be done for the RFK and MLK records, within 45 days.

PRESIDENTIAL POWER
Trump’s fascination with classified documents got him in hot water in 2021, when he left the White House with many.

  • He told Fox News in 2022 that he “declassified everything” before leaving. He added that as president, “you can declassify just by saying ‘it’s declassified’ — even by thinking about it.”

    • Presidents do have the authority to declassify information, but the process typically involves directing agency officials to review the material for public release.

⏳ SPEED READ

🚨NATION

📌 Fire-ravaged Southern California grapples with new infernos this week as much-needed rain could unleash more deadly hazards (CNN)

📌 Nashville school shooting suspect's social media linked to Madison school shooter's social media (ABC)

📌 Rubio to head to Central America for first trip as top US diplomat as Trump cracks down on migration (CNN)

📌 Tennessee congressman proposes constitutional amendment to let Trump serve third term as president (FOX17)

 🌎 AROUND THE WORLD

📌 Trump tells Davos elite to invest in US or face tariffs (AP)

📌 Couples wed as landmark same-sex marriage law takes effect in Thailand (NPR)

📌 ICC prosecutor seeks arrest of Taliban leaders for 'persecuting Afghan girls and women' (BBC)

 📱BUSINESS, SCIENCE & TECH

📌 Trump says he will approve power plants for AI through emergency declaration (CNBC)

📌 College enrollment rebounds, surpassing pre-pandemic levels (NPR)

📌 People with ADHD have shorter life expectancy and higher risk of mental health issues, study finds (CNN)

 🎬 SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT

📌 SZA to perform at Super Bowl halftime show with Kendrick Lamar (USA TODAY)

📌 Billy Ray Cyrus' son writes open letter sharing concerns following singer's Trump inauguration performance (FOX)

📌 Charli XCX to produce & possibly star in new movie ‘the moment’ based on her original idea (BILLBOARD)

📌 Blake Lively Seeks to Bar Justin Baldoni From Litigating Case in the Press (VARIETY)

🎉 CHEERS TO THE FREAKIN’ WKND  

  • WHAT WE’RE EATING: Mosh: Trader Joe's Sweet & Salty Gluten Free Umami Crunchies Rice Crackers; Jill: Soup from Sweet Tomato in Oyster Bay, NY.

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