Biden administration releases 1,500 files on JFK assassination probe

The Biden administration published almost 1,500 documents related to President John F. Kennedy's assassination in 1963.

Why it matters: The National Archives' release of the internal memos, cables and other files concerning the U.S. government's investigation into Kennedy's death follows a long campaign by advocates to have all documents connected to his killing declassified, the Washington Post notes.

Driving the news: The release is in keeping with a federal statute on the publication of such government files.

• President Biden had set the deadline for the Kennedy files' release after publishing was delayed due to the pandemic's impact on the agencies staffed with reviewing the publication.

Between the lines: It'll likely take days to examine the trove of documents and although no significant revelations were immediately clear, some of the redacted CIA files offer glimpses into Lee Harvey Oswald's visits to the embassies of the Soviet Union and Cuba in Mexico City in the months before the assassination.

• Other documents outline CIA plans to kill then-Cuban President Fidel Castro, with one file titled "Plots to Assassinate Castro."

What they're saying: JFKFacts.org editor Jefferson Morley, who's among the journalists and researchers spending the next few days examining the documents, noted Wednesday that the National Archives has announced plans to "digitize the entire JFK records collection."

• "In terms of public understanding, this is probably more important than any documents released today," he tweeted.

Background: Former President Trump had in 2017 ordered the release of thousands of secret files relating to the assassination while withholding others on national security grounds.

What's next: Further documents related to Kennedy's killing are expected to be released next year.