I know, I know. This is a cop-out of a post. It’s not up to my standard.

But I’m absolutely swamped trying to finish the first draft of The Revivalist Revolution, and that is HARD. It’s a book about all the changes that are coming as a result of Donald Trump’s victory in November, and capturing that while the changes are coming in a fast and furious manner is like shooting at lots of moving targets at once.

Given that, a deep dive into the JFK assassination files is definitely not in the cards. And normally I’d leave this to Jeff LeJeune, who’s great with all the hidden-history stuff, but those files are pretty timely and I imagine our readers would be interested in even a quickie summary. So that’s what this is.

Truth be told, I’d have been surprised if there are any real bombshells in this docu-dump. The really incriminating stuff against whoever was responsible would have been scrubbed away long ago.

At RVIVR, we’ve got a fascinating post that was written by Roger Stone pinning the blame for the assassination on John F. Kennedy’s Vice President and successor Lyndon Baines Johnson, and Stone’s formulation was fairly sound. Essentially, it’s Johnson as the shot-caller and the CIA and the mob pooling resources to do the deed. Seeing as though the CIA and the mob were working together trying to overthrow Castro in Cuba, and seeing as though the Kennedys were at war with both the CIA and the mob, and seeing as though LBJ was mobbed up with gambling operations he had a hand in back in Texas, and seeing as though LBJ had some legal problems which would magically disappear in the event he’d become president, a lot of pieces do come together in that theory.

Do these files prove that? Not really.

Anyway, here’s what Grok said when we asked it for the biggest revelations to come out of the JFK assassination files…

Based on the information available as of today, March 18, 2025, the release of approximately 80,000 pages of previously classified documents related to the JFK assassination has generated significant interest. While no single “smoking gun” has emerged to definitively rewrite the official narrative—that Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone as the lone gunman—several notable revelations have surfaced from the newly declassified files. Here are the biggest highlights:

1. CIA Surveillance of Oswald and Communication Lapses: The documents confirm that the CIA had Oswald under surveillance prior to the assassination, tracking his movements, including his visits to the Soviet and Cuban embassies in Mexico City in September 1963. A key revelation is that the CIA failed to adequately share this intelligence with the FBI. This raises questions about whether this was due to bureaucratic incompetence or a deliberate omission, potentially missing an opportunity to prevent the assassination.
2. Hints of a Second Shooter: Some files include witness statements, such as those referencing the “grassy knoll,” that suggest the possibility of a second shooter. While these accounts remain debated and lack conclusive forensic backing, they challenge the lone gunman theory and have reignited speculation about a broader conspiracy.
3. Mafia Connections via Jack Ruby: The documents reveal wiretaps and reports linking Jack Ruby, who killed Oswald, to organized crime figures. This strengthens theories that the mafia may have had a motive—possibly retaliation for Kennedy’s crackdown on organized crime—though no direct evidence ties them to the assassination itself.
4. Secret Service Failures: New details highlight lapses in Secret Service protocols on November 22, 1963, including reduced motorcade escorts and a failure to inspect buildings along the route, such as the Texas School Book Depository. These shortcomings left Kennedy vulnerable, though they don’t necessarily point to a conspiracy.
5. Oswald’s Cuban Intelligence Ties: The files expand on Oswald’s contacts with Cuban intelligence, monitored by the CIA, adding depth to his profile as a figure with international connections. However, there’s no clear indication these ties directly influenced the assassination.

Despite these revelations, historians and experts, as reflected in various reports, caution that the documents don’t fundamentally overturn the Warren Commission’s conclusion. The absence of dramatic new evidence—such as proof of CIA complicity or a confirmed second shooter—means the lone gunman narrative remains intact for now. Still, these details enrich the historical record, offering “puzzle pieces” that fuel ongoing debate and skepticism about the full story behind Kennedy’s death.

But here’s one last thing. It’s one of the documents we did see floating around after the files were released…

pic.twitter.com/HWsaJ6Fm7G

— Scott McKay (@TheHayride) March 19, 2025