(NewsNation) — Presidents Donald Trump and Joe Biden have both delayed the release of documents that were supposed to make details of the John F. Kennedy assassination public; the issue has now prompted a lawsuit.
Trump cited national security concerns for not making the documents public.
The White House and National Archives are seemingly stalling when it comes to releasing records about former President Kennedy’s assassination, former CIA agent Tracy Walder said Wednesday night during an appearance on NewsNation’s “On Balance with Leland Vittert.”
“The problem is, if you keep documents secret, this is how conspiracy theories develop. And this is where a lack of trust really forms.”
A poll found that 70% of Americans believe Kennedy’s death was a plot, while 32% believe Oswald carried out the killing on his own. And 51% believe there was a second gunman.
Host Leland Vittert asked Walder what could possibly be the reason to keep details of Lee Harvey Oswald’s trip to Mexico secret, 59 years later? Most people who were of adult age at that time are dead now.
Walder had two theories: first, the person is still alive, and this information could cause them “significant harm.” The second reason might be “that we don’t want to damage a diplomatic relationship with whatever country it was.”
“Coming from the CIA perspective, and being a former CIA officer, we tend to be very close about the countries that we deal with … from a diplomatic perspective. And try to protect our sources and methods,” Walder added.