JFK Files Release Fuels Misinformation and Conspiracy Theories Online

For more than six decades, the assassination of President John F. Kennedy has fueled countless conspiracy theories and misleading claims.

The recent release of new files related to Kennedy's assassination on Tuesday, March 18, following an executive order by President Donald Trump, was expected to provide unknown details.

However, as experts continue to review the papers, social media erupted with misinformation.

Misbar investigated the top viral claims that misled many online.

Kennedy Did Not Write Letter Claiming Hillary Clinton’s Arrest

An image went viral online claiming to show that Kennedy wrote a letter in 1963 saying he had information that might lead to the arrest of Hillary Clinton.

The alleged letter, dated July 1963, read: “To whom it may concern: I have information that will lead to the arrest of Hillary Clinton.”

Misbar found that the letter was fake. In July 1963, Hillary Clinton had not yet turned 16. At the time, she still had the surname Rodham, as she married Bill Clinton in 1975 and then changed her last name.

A reverse image search of the image led to an item on eBay that closely resembles the altered document in question.

Upon comparing the viral letter with the letter on eBay, it is clear that both are dated July 1963 and bear a Washington, D.C., postmark dated August 7.

However, the letter on eBay is from Kennedy to “Miss Perdunn,” in which he expressed his gratitude for her efforts in the Peace Corps.

Furthermore, the post’s author inserted their X username, “KATEHYDENY,” into the round seal on the envelope (bottom left corner), indicating that the image had been altered.

Manipulated Video Falsely Suggests Driver Was Involved in JFK Assassination

The files also revived the conspiracy theory that Kennedy’s driver was the one who shot him.

In a video shared by many users on X that allegedly showed the moment Kennedy was shot, the driver appeared to shoot Kennedy from his seat.

Misbar found that the video was manipulated. The timer in the top right corner jumps inconsistently from 325 to 276, then disappears and reappears at 312.

The authentic footage of the shooting on YouTube does not show the abrupt timestamp jumps seen in the manipulated video.

This film, accidentally captured by Abraham Zapruder, was analyzed and found to provide no evidence supporting the theory of the driver’s involvement. The film showed that William Greer, Kennedy’s driver, briefly turned around but was not holding a weapon.

The theory that the driver was involved in Kennedy’s assassination has been addressed in multiple official reports. Given the available information, reports found no evidence implicating Greer in the shooting.

The Warren Commission’s final report, released in September 1964, concluded that Lee Harvey Oswald was the lone assassin.

Furthermore, ballistic tests confirmed that the shots came from behind and from an elevated position, matching Oswald’s, not the driver’s, location.

New Files Did Not Include Letter From Kennedy Calling Biden a 'Traitor'

Another claim that went viral was that Kennedy called Joe Biden, then a senator, a traitor.

The claim was accompanied by a letter, allegedly released recently, that was signed by "John F. Kennedy Jr."

“Dear Sen. Biden,” the letter said. “You are a traitor.”

However, the letter was not released recently but has been known, with its analysis published to the public since at least 2000.

The FBI’s investigation into the letter, available online, referred to Biden as a “victim,” the suspect as “UNSUB,” shorthand for “unknown subject,” and the writer of the letter as unknown, though Kennedy’s name was used to sign it.

An “Anonymous Letter File,” the FBI records described the letter.

In a June 2000 report by the Associated Press, published in the Los Angeles Times, the outlet said that the FBI analyzed the handwriting and lifted fingerprints from the letter, but no suspects were identified.

WJC Did Not Include 'Conflating the Assassination of JFK with Jews/Israel' as Anti-Semitism

The feared conspiracy theory that Jews or Israel were responsible for the assassination of Kennedy did not fail to appear. Despite a lack of evidence, several claims circulated online accusing Jews of being involved in Kennedy’s assassination.

One such claim targeted the World Jewish Congress (WJC). The claim alleged that the WJC amended the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) working definition of anti-Semitism to include “conflating the assassination of JFK with Jews and/or Israel.”

Users shared the claim along with an alleged screenshot of the WJC’s site, on which the purported amendment appeared on the main page.

Misbar reviewed both the World Jewish Congress site and the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s (IHRA) definition of anti-Semitism but found no such change.

The main page of the WJC site remained unchanged following the release of the JFK files.

No mention of Kennedy or any U.S. political figures is included in the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s (IHRA) definition of anti-Semitism.

No Major Revelations in New JFK Files

Despite widespread claims on social media platforms regarding the "big news" contained in the new JFK files, media reports indicate that the files offered few revelations.

The latest batch reportedly provides more details on how the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) observed JFK's killer before the shooting.

Experts reviewing the files say the process will take time and warn not to expect many groundbreaking revelations.

Historians have said they do not expect major new revelations or any information that would contradict the basic circumstances of the case.

 

Read More

New Kennedy Assassination Files Renew Claims of Driver’s Involvement

Fact Checking Donald Trump’s Latest Address to Congress

Who Is John F. Kennedy?