December 1st, 2024 | Allan Ray

Unsettling Truths Could Be Hiding In The JFK Files

Would Americans be prepared to see John F. Kennedy differently?

The assassination of President John F. Kennedy in 1963 marked a pivotal moment in American history, one that has since been shrouded in mystery, speculation, and a myriad of conspiracy theories. As new documents could be gradually declassified under the Trump Administration, there is the tantalizing possibility that revelations could emerge suggesting top-level leaders within the CIA and FBI viewed Kennedy and his policies as a threat to U.S. national security during the Cold War. Perhaps there is something in those documents that could prove they were not wrong.

Kennedy’s presidency unfolded at the height of the Cold War, a time defined by intense rivalry between the United States and the Soviet Union. The ideological battle between communism and democracy shaped every aspect of U.S. foreign and domestic policy, with the CIA and FBI playing central roles in the fight against perceived communist threats. Against this backdrop, Kennedy’s approach to Cold War diplomacy, his efforts to rein in the intelligence apparatus, and his evolving domestic policies clashed with the entrenched views of many within these agencies. To some within the CIA and FBI, Kennedy’s actions may have appeared to undermine U.S. strength and embolden communist adversaries, leading them to view him as a potential threat to national security.

It is important to remember that Americans, specifically the intelligence community, viewed communism and the Soviet Union as an existential threat to the United States.

One of the most significant points of contention between Kennedy and the CIA was his handling of the Cuban situation. The failed Bay of Pigs invasion in 1961, a CIA-led attempt to overthrow Fidel Castro, was a major embarrassment for the Kennedy administration. While Kennedy publicly took responsibility for the fiasco, he privately blamed the CIA’s leadership for misleading him about the operation’s chances of success. In response, he fired CIA Director Allen Dulles, Deputy Director Charles Cabell, and Deputy Director for Plans Richard Bissell. This move, along with Kennedy’s subsequent efforts to place the CIA under tighter executive control, created significant tension. His reported statement that he wanted to “splinter the CIA into a thousand pieces and scatter it to the winds” reflected his deep frustration with the agency.

To some within the CIA, Kennedy’s desire to curtail their autonomy may have been seen as a direct threat to their mission and influence, particularly at a time when covert operations were viewed as a critical tool in combating communism.

Kennedy’s approach to the Soviet Union further exacerbated tensions with hardliners in the intelligence community. While he maintained a firm anti-communist stance, as evidenced by his handling of the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962, Kennedy also sought to reduce the risk of nuclear war through diplomatic channels. His negotiations with Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev led to the removal of Soviet missiles from Cuba, but also involved a secret agreement to withdraw U.S. missiles from Turkey. Though widely seen as a diplomatic success, some within the CIA and military viewed the resolution as a dangerous concession that emboldened the Soviet Union. Kennedy’s broader efforts at détente, including backchannel communications and the signing of the Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty in 1963, may have been perceived as signs of weakness or even betrayal by those who believed that only a hardline stance could contain Soviet expansion.

The FBI, under the leadership of J. Edgar Hoover, also had a complex relationship with Kennedy. Hoover, who had been at the helm of the Bureau since its inception, was deeply suspicious of anything he perceived as a threat to American stability. This included the civil rights movement, which Hoover believed was infiltrated by communist elements. Kennedy’s increasing support for civil rights, highlighted by his 1963 speech calling for sweeping civil rights legislation, placed him at odds with Hoover’s worldview. The FBI’s extensive surveillance of civil rights leaders, including Martin Luther King Jr., reflected the Bureau’s belief that civil rights activism could destabilize the country. Hoover’s distrust of the Kennedy administration’s civil rights agenda, combined with his fear of communist subversion, may have contributed to a broader perception of Kennedy as a destabilizing force.

Kennedy’s evolving Vietnam policy also created friction within the national security establishment. While he initially increased U.S. involvement in Vietnam, Kennedy grew increasingly skeptical of a large-scale military commitment. By late 1963, he had begun signaling a desire to withdraw U.S. advisers, a move that ran counter to the views of military leaders and intelligence officials who believed that Vietnam was a crucial front in the battle against communism. Although there is debate among historians about whether Kennedy would have fully withdrawn from Vietnam, his reluctance to escalate the conflict may have been seen as a threat to U.S. credibility and dominance in the region.

Another factor contributing to the tension between Kennedy and the intelligence community was his affair with Marilyn Monroe, which has been the subject of speculation and intrigue. Monroe's connections, rumoured relationships, and possible access to sensitive information raised red flags for national security officials. Within the context of Cold War paranoia, the idea that Monroe—a glamorous Hollywood actress with ties to powerful figures, including the Kennedy brothers—could be exploited by foreign intelligence agencies was not beyond the realm of possibility. Some conspiracy theories even suggest that Monroe was viewed as a potential Soviet asset or at least a vulnerability that could be leveraged by adversaries.

Documents indicate that the FBI did have suspicions about Monroe having ties to communist movements.

The CIA and FBI, both of which were acutely aware of Kennedy’s extramarital relationships, may have seen his involvement with Monroe as a security risk. Concerns that pillow talk could lead to leaks of critical information or that Monroe herself could be manipulated by foreign operatives would have heightened the perception of Kennedy as a liability to national security. Although much of this remains speculative, it underscores the extent to which Kennedy's personal life intersected with Cold War anxieties, further complicating his relationship with the intelligence community.

The broader context of the military-industrial complex also cannot be ignored. Kennedy’s cautious approach to military intervention, his willingness to challenge the CIA’s covert operations, and his focus on diplomacy over confrontation threatened the interests of those who stood to benefit from a more aggressive Cold War strategy. Defense contractors, intelligence operatives, and military leaders who profited from or believed in a hardline approach to communism may have viewed Kennedy’s policies with suspicion and hostility.

Newly unsealed documents could potentially shed light on the extent of this tension, revealing the depth of distrust or even animosity that leaders (some still alive) within the CIA and FBI may have felt toward Kennedy. It could unseal some unsettling truths about Kennedy himself.

Perhaps, Kennedy was in fact a security risk for the United States during the Cold War.

Declassified documents related to covert operations and intelligence assessments could reveal the extent to which the agencies believed Kennedy's policies were weakening their ability to counteract the existential threat posed by communism. Some may show what evidence may have led them to such conclusions. Reports on the effectiveness of CIA operations and the FBI's surveillance activities might indicate a growing frustration with Kennedy's approach to national security, citing more details. Such revelations might underscore how his efforts to shift Cold War policy, his push for civil rights, and his battles with entrenched power structures within the intelligence community led some to view him as a dangerous force, threatening the perceived security of the nation.

While the idea that these tensions resulted in a coordinated effort to remove Kennedy remains speculative, the historical record suggests that the perception of Kennedy as a threat was very real among certain segments of the government. As more documents are declassified, we may gain a clearer picture of the complex dynamics that defined the Kennedy presidency and its fraught relationship with the national security establishment.