JFK files trigger 'outrageous' security breach as secret details revealed on 200 people involved

The release of additional files on John F. Kennedy's assassination also revealed the social security numbers of more than 200 people, sparking outrage over the security breach.

'It's absolutely outrageous. It's sloppy, unprofessional,' former Trump campaign lawyer Joseph diGenova, whose private information was included in the release, told The Washington Post.

'It not only means identity theft, but I've had threats against me,' said diGenova. 'In the past, I've had to report real threats against me to the FBI. There are dangerous nuts out there.'

He said he had no idea his information was in the files until the Post contacted him. In the 1970s, diGenova investigated intelligence abuses. 

'It makes sense that my name is in there,' he said 'but the other sensitive stuff — it's like a first-grade, elementary-level rule of security to redact things like that.'

The National Archives said it would work with those affected, bringing in the Social Security Administration to help.

'In an effort to maximize transparency, these records were released without redactions and some of these records contain the personal identification information of living individuals. The National Archives and Records Administration and the Social Security Administration are working closely together to protect the individuals who may be affected from their information being exploited, a spokesperson for the Archives said. 

'NARA has begun the process of identifying and will be contacting individuals whose personal identification information are included in the records. However, those who believe they may be affected should contact the National Archives at [email protected].'

More than 60,000 pages related to the 1963 assassination were released on Tuesday by President Donald Trump's administration. 

The White House bragged about the complete release with very few redactions and blacked out information. 

'President Trump is ushering in a new era of maximum transparency. Today, per his direction, previously redacted JFK Assassination Files are being released to the public with no redactions. Promises made, promises kept,' wrote Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard on X. 

But that meant the files included the personal information of congressional staffers and political officials from that time, many of whom are still alive.

'President Trump delivered on his promise of maximum transparency by fully releasing the files related to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. At the request of the White House, the National Archives and the Social Security Administration immediately put together an action plan to pro-actively help individuals whose personal information was released in the files,' White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement.

There were the Social Security numbers, birthplaces and birth dates of more than 100 staff members of the Senate Church Committee, which was established in 1975 to investigate abuses by America's intelligence agencies and government. 

There were also 100 Social Security numbers of staff members of the House Select Committee on Assassinations, which investigated the killing of Kennedy, the Post discovered.

The files also exposed at least one C.I.A. agent's complete personnel file.

The revelations could be a breach of the Privacy Act, which protects individuals personally identifiable information. 

Trump's national security team had to rush to get the files ready after the president's surprise declaration - during a tour of the Kennedy Center on Monday - that the documents would be made public the next day. 

The release of the files proved a disappointment to many. 

Instead of confirming or denying many of the conspiracy theories around Kennedy's death, the files revealed the sources and practices of U.S. intelligence operations.