Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Miscellaneous/2022 March 29

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March 29

JFK FBI Files

I recall reading several years ago that the classified FBI files on the JFK assassination would one day be released. I also recall thinking that by that date, no one who was alive at the time will be alive. Please would someone tell me what this date is and how likely is it that there will be anything of interest in it, or will it just be boring paperwork? Thanks — Preceding unsigned comment added by 109.150.250.197 (talk) 15:48, 29 March 2022 (UTC)

The President John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act of 1992 effectively set a deadline of October 26, 2017 but effectively allowed the president to postpone the release indefinitely. Both president Trump and Biden have delayed the release of certain documents or I think parts of documents. Per our article and [1], December 15, 2022 is the current deadline for which documents either need to be released (in full) or an unclassified (i.e. public) index giving the reasons why the information is being withheld, although I'm not sure how detailed this will be. Nil Einne (talk) 16:07, 29 March 2022 (UTC)

Details: "Memorandum for the Heads of Executive Departments and Agencies on the Temporary Certification Regarding Disclosure of Information in Certain Records Related to the Assassination of President John F. Kennedy". The White House. 23 October 2021. --2603:6081:1C00:1187:F4A4:9C4C:9ABF:9F24 (talk) 16:10, 29 March 2022 (UTC)

(EC) I'd note also Biden could just extend this deadline again, unless the court case mentioned in CNN achieves something which I doubt. I do not believe there's currently any deadline past which presidents cannot delay the release if they certify it's needed for the reasons allowed under the act. I'd note that both presidents Trump and Biden were alive at the time, so too were Mike Pence, Hillary Clinton, Tim Kaine and Barack Obama although not Kamala Harris. Edit: I expect it's a similar situation for the heads of many of the executive agencies and agencies who'll need to decide whether to block any information from being released but am not going to check. Nil Einne (talk) 16:22, 29 March 2022 (UTC)

P.S. It's possible you're thinking of Classified information in the United States#Declassification and Freedom of Information Act (United States) and the various deadlines set up by the related executive orders etc. But AFAIK, the assassination records act pretty much supersedes all that. E.g. if the president certifies it's still needed for the reasons outline under the assassination records act, we can be sure they have the special permission to remain classified past 75 years. Nil Einne (talk) 16:50, 29 March 2022 (UTC)