Will JFK files be released today? Viral post explored after Trump vows to "immediately" release classified documents

In a recent interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity, President Donald Trump reiterated his vow to release the classified JFK files. Trump said he would “immediately” release the documents, triggering a frenzy amid social media users who took to X and shared their reactions, prompting “JFK” files to trend on the platform.

JFK files are classified documents related to the assassinations of U.S. President John F. Kennedy and Senator Robert Kennedy.

Among tens and thousands of reactions online, one particular post went viral after the user claimed the files would allegedly be released on January 23, 2025. The post read:

“JFK files allegedly being released today, potentially as early as 3 pm, I am told.”

The post, with 960,000 views, was shared by a DC reporter, Matthew Foldi.

The post was shared numerous times online, triggering a barrage of comments in anticipation of the file's release. Another post from a popular X account, Wall Street Apes, amassed over 2 million views after they alleged:

“Get ready! Donald Trump is expected to release the JFK Files today!”

However, this is false. the source of the rumor, Matthew Foldi, redacted his initial post, clarifying:

“JFK files will not be released today but this may happen in the very near future.”

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What we know about the JFK files

On January 21, 2025, in an interview with Sean Hannity, President Donald Trump repeated the vow he made on Sunday, January 20, 2025, when he said he would release classified files related to the assassination of John F Kennedy. Trump, who promised the same on the campaign trail, made a similar promise during his 2017 to 2021 term.

Recalling the promise, Trump told Sean Hannity, that Mike Pompeo, who served as CIA director at the time, cautioned him to keep the files classified. Trump alleged:

“He (Mike Pompeo) felt it was just not a good time to release them.”

President John F. Kennedy was assassinated on November 22, 1963, by Lee Harvey Oswald. Decades later, it is still unclear why Oswald shot Kennedy, fuelling conspiracy theories around the incident. In 1964, TIME reported:

“The explanation of Oswald's motive for killing President Kennedy was buried with him.”

In 1992, The President John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act passed unanimously in the House and Senate mandated that all records related to the assassination should be released by 2017.

The act further stated the files should remain undisclosed if the information poses “identifiable harm to the military defense, intelligence operations, law enforcement, or conduct of foreign relations.”

The act added, “The identifiable harm is of such gravity that it outweighs the public interest in disclosure.”

According to NBC, while most of the information in the files has been released, a total release was pushed back by both Biden and Trump.