Trump: I Will Allow 'Long Blocked And Classified JFK Files' To Be Released

US President Donald Trump says he will allow the release of classified documents relating to the assassination of President John F Kennedy, shot dead while visiting Dallas, Texas in 1963.

The documents were due to be disclosed by the National Archives later this month, however there were some media reports that Trump would not approve the publication of all of the files.

In a tweet sent early Saturday, Trump indicated he will allow the release, “subject to the receipt of further information”. It’s not clear what “further information” the president is referring to.

Subject to the receipt of further information, I will be allowing, as President, the long blocked and classified JFK FILES to be opened.

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 21, 2017

In 1992, then-US President George H. W. Bush signed into law the John F Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act, compelling the US National Archives to publish documents surrounding Kennedy’s death within 25 years.

However, there was a get-out clause in the act which stated public disclosure could be delayed if it threatened “military defense, intelligence operations, law enforcement, or conduct of foreign relations.”

A report by Politico Magazine, which cited Trump administration insiders, suggested the president could block some documents from seeing the light of day. A US government spokesperson reportedly told the magazine that the White House is working “to ensure the maximum amount of data can be released to the public”.