As of March 18, 2025, the release of 80,000 pages of unredacted JFK assassination documents, ordered by President Donald Trump, marks a pivotal moment. Announced at the Kennedy Center, this fulfills Trump’s pledge to fully declassify the files, reigniting interest in a mystery that’s fueled distrust since 1963. Yet, as the nation anticipates this disclosure, a parallel demand grows: Congress must release the Jeffrey Epstein files—and both efforts must avoid the slow-walking and redactions that have undermined past transparency attempts.
The JFK files, stemming from a January 2025 executive order, promise an unfiltered look at November 22, 1963. Unlike the partially redacted 13,173 documents released under Biden in 2022, Trump’s “don’t redact” stance, backed by DNI Tulsi Gabbard and Rep. Anna Paulina Luna’s task force, signals a shift from past resistance. The public expects substance, not another vague trickle like the 1992 JFK Act’s unfulfilled mandate.
Contrast this with the Epstein files debacle. Trump’s 2024 campaign promised full disclosure on the financier’s crimes, but Attorney General Pam Bondi’s February 2025 “Phase 1” release disappointed—rehashed, heavily redacted flight logs and lists, already online. MAGA influencers hyped it, only to face backlash as Bondi blamed the FBI for withholding more. The fiasco eroded trust, showing how half-measures fuel cynicism.
Both cases expose a pattern: drip-feeding redacted records to dodge accountability. The JFK files must break this cycle—80,000 pages of raw truth, not substanceless scraps. Congress must also act on Epstein, expanding the declassification task force’s scope. The February flop can’t repeat; Americans deserve more than recycled letdowns.
The stakes are immense. JFK and Epstein symbolize institutional opacity. If the JFK files deliver, they could force Epstein’s full release. If they falter, distrust deepens. Trump’s move offers a reset, but Congress must ensure both disclosures are real. The public demands truth—unvarnished, now.
