Jack Schlossberg, grandson of President John F. Kennedy, recently criticized CNN for its coverage of newly disclosed assassination files via social media on Tuesday, March 18, 2025. Schlossberg, 32, voiced his displeasure with the network’s focus on the release of 80,000 documents concerning JFK’s 1963 assassination by the Trump administration.
In a video posted on X, Schlossberg appeared visibly upset, recording himself with CNN on a television in the background. He specifically addressed CNN anchors, questioning their editorial choices.
“You’re better than this. This is so [expletive] stupid. There’s so much actual news going on. Why are you covering this,” Schlossberg stated in the video. “At least report that something happened. I love you, Harry Enten, you’re really smart. Why are you guys covering this? I love you, Erin Burnett, you’re really smart, why are you covering this?”
Schlossberg, son of former U.S. Ambassador Caroline Kennedy and a political correspondent for Vogue, followed his initial post with additional comments. In one, written in all capital letters, he stated, “WHAT THE JFK FILES SAY ABOUT ME IS NOT TRUE,” adding, “I’M STRAIGHT.”
The documents, consisting of about 63,400 pages, were released on the National Archives website following an executive order from President Trump. This release is part of a broader effort to declassify records related to the assassinations of President Kennedy, Senator Robert F. Kennedy, and civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr.
Schlossberg claimed the Trump administration did not notify the Kennedy family prior to the document release. “No — THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION DID NOT GIVE ANYONE IN PRESIDENT KENNEDY’S FAMILY ‘A HEADS UP’ ABOUT THE RELEASE,” he wrote on X. “A total surprise, and not a shocker!! But @RobertKennedyJr definitely knew.”
Schlossberg’s relationship with his cousin, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who serves as Secretary of Health and Human Services in the Trump administration, is strained. Schlossberg has previously criticized RFK Jr. for spreading conspiracy theories about JFK’s assassination and urged podcast host Joe Rogan to question his cousin on these claims.
Schlossberg also criticized Senator Mike Lee (R-Utah) when the senator commented on the file release. In response to Lee, Schlossberg wrote: “You really care about JFK’s legacy? You’re dismantling it. Go ask Bobby for a retweet.”
This is not Schlossberg’s first opposition to declassification efforts. Last month, when the Trump administration announced plans to release the files, he wrote on X that declassification uses his late grandfather as a political prop when he cannot defend himself.
The newly released documents are part of the National Archives’ collection of over six million pages related to the Kennedy assassination. According to the National Archives, about 2,200 files were included in this latest release. The majority of the collection had been previously released to the public.
Experts who have begun examining the files note that while they offer further insight into U.S. government activities during the Cold War, they do not contain any “smoking gun” revelations that would significantly alter the existing narrative about Lee Harvey Oswald’s role as the sole gunman responsible for Kennedy’s assassination.
“There’s nothing heroic about it,” Schlossberg said regarding the declassification efforts, expressing his view that using his grandfather’s assassination for political purposes was inappropriate.
The release of these records fulfills a requirement of the 1992 President John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act, which mandated that all related documents be released after 25 years, except for national security concerns. Previous administrations had maintained that withholding was necessary, but President Trump determined that keeping the records classified was “no longer in the public interest and is long overdue.”
While some files remain sealed due to court orders or tax return privacy laws, the National Archives has worked with federal agencies to make these records accessible online and at the National Archives facility in College Park, Maryland. The release marks a significant step in the ongoing effort to provide transparency regarding one of the most traumatic events in American history.