60,000 RFK Assassination Files Released: How To Read in Full

The Trump administration has released more than 60,000 records about the assassination of Robert F. Kennedy.

Files relating to the 1968 killing were digitized by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) and published on the National Archives website late Wednesday.

Those files can be accessed here or via the White House’s website here.

Why It Matters

RFK’s death, as well as that of former President John F. Kennedy’s (JFK), his brother, have sparked conspiracy theories and intrigue from the American public for decades.

Then-24-year-old Sirhan Sirhan was convicted in July 1969 of the assassination. Sirhan, now aged 81 and serving life in prison, admitted at his trial that he shot RFK but said he could not recall doing so.

RFK’s son, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has cast doubts on Sirhan being the shooter and called for a reinvestigation of the assassination.

RFK — Robert Kennedy, chief counsel of the Senate Labor Rackets Committee on investigations is shown at the hearing on March 19, 1957 in Washington at a hearing.

AP Photo

What To Know

RFK, a former Senator and Democratic presidential candidate was assassinated in June 1968 during a campaign speech in Los Angeles.

Upon returning to the White House, President Trump ordered the release of documents on the assassinations of RFK and JFK, with backing from RFK Jr.

In April, the administration released the first trove of about 10,000 documents on RFK’s death.

ODNI said the documents include details about the FBI’s investigation into the assassination including FBI memos, police interviews.

They have been uploaded with minimal redactions for privacy reasons, the ODNI said, including redactions for social security numbers, tax identification numbers and grand jury information.

What People Are Saying

Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard said in a post on X, formerly Twitter: “Today’s release is an important step toward maximum transparency, finding the truth, and sharing the truth.”

In a release, the ODNI said: “This is the first time the American public will have the opportunity to review all publicly available documents about the assassination of RFK in one location.”

RFK Jr. said when the first set of files were released: “I commend President Trump for his courage and his commitment to transparency. I’m grateful also to Tulsi Gabbard for her dogged efforts to root out and declassify these documents.

“Lifting the veil on the RFK papers is a necessary step toward restoring trust in American government.”