In a significant move toward transparency, approximately 10,000 pages of previously classified records related to the 1968 assassination of Robert F. Kennedy have been released. Among these documents are handwritten notes by the assassin, Sirhan Sirhan, who chillingly expressed that the U.S. senator and Democratic presidential candidate must be disposed of. The notes reveal an unsettling obsession with the idea of killing Kennedy, underscoring the dark motivations that led to this tragic event.

This latest disclosure aligns with the ongoing release of national secrets mandated by former President Donald Trump, who initiated the process during the second term of his presidency that began in January 2021. This release comes just a month after unredacted files concerning the assassination of Kennedys older brother, President John F. Kennedy, were made public. The earlier documents provided fascinating insights into Cold War-era covert operations undertaken by the U.S. in various nations, though they did not substantiate many conspiracy theories surrounding JFKs assassination.

Robert F. Kennedy was assassinated on June 5, 1968, at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles, just moments after delivering a speech celebrating his victory in Californias Democratic primary. His assassin, Sirhan Sirhan, was convicted of first-degree murder and is currently serving a life sentence in prison.

Among the newly released files are disturbing images of Sirhan's handwritten notes. An empty envelope contained the harrowing phrase, RFK must be disposed of like his brother was, which bore the return address from the district director of the Internal Revenue Service in Los Angeles. In a Pasadena City College notebook, Sirhan filled a page with variations of the phrases RFK must die and RFK must be killed. In a particularly alarming note dated May 18, 1968, he wrote: My determination to eliminate RFK is becoming more of an unshakable obsession.

Other documents reveal that Sirhan harbored ambitions to overthrow the sitting president at the time, Lyndon Johnson, who was a Democrat occupying the White House during RFKs assassination. I have no absolute plans yet, but soon will compose them, he wrote, expressing support for communist nations such as Russia and China.

The files also include testimonies from individuals who knew Sirhan in various contexts-- as classmates, neighbors, and coworkers. While some described him as a friendly, kind, and generous person, others portrayed him as a brooding and impressionable young man, deeply entrenched in his political beliefs and briefly influenced by mysticism.

According to the records, Sirhan confided in his garbage collector about his intentions to kill Kennedy shortly after the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. on April 4, 1968. The worker, who was Black and intended to vote for Kennedy due to his pledges to assist the Black community, was shocked by Sirhans response. Well, I dont agree, Sirhan reportedly replied, adding, I am planning on shooting the son of a bitch.

FBI documents describe interviews with tourists who had heard rumors about Kennedy being shot weeks prior to his death. Some tourists visiting Israel in May 1968 recalled a tour guide stating that Kennedy had been shot. Others reported hearing rumors of an assassination attempt on Kennedys life in Milwaukee and even heard claims that he had been shot in Nebraska.

The National Archives and Records Administration has made 229 files available to the public online. While many documents regarding the assassination had been released previously, the newly digitized files had remained hidden away in federal storage facilities for decades.

Trump, who has long advocated for transparency regarding high-profile assassinations and investigations, has been vocal about his skepticism toward government intelligence agencies. His administration's recent release of these files opens the door for renewed public scrutiny regarding the operations and conclusions of agencies like the CIA and FBI. In January, Trump signed an executive order calling for the release of government documents concerning the assassinations of both Robert F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr., which occurred just two months apart.

For years, attorneys representing Sirhan have argued that their client poses no threat to society, pointing out that he is unlikely to reoffend. In 2021, a parole board deemed him suitable for release. However, California Governor Gavin Newsom rejected this decision in 2022, keeping Sirhan incarcerated. A subsequent panel in 2023 also denied his release, citing that he still lacks insight into the motivations behind his actions that led to the assassination of Kennedy.

The son of the late senator, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who now serves as Secretary of Health and Human Services under Trump, praised the president and his Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, for what he described as their courage and dogged efforts in releasing these pivotal documents. Lifting the veil on the RFK papers is a necessary step toward restoring trust in American government, Kennedy Jr. stated in a recent press release.