David E. Sanger

Now, will this be an investigation with real teeth? Will they back down when the White House pressures them to stop? Maybe. So there's no guarantees, but there's at least a possibility.

Now, will this be an investigation with real teeth? Will they back down when the White House pressures them to stop? Maybe. So there's no guarantees, but there's at least a possibility.

Julian, what did you think of that? I was struck this week that it was the first time in the beginning of this second Trump term that he didn't seem in control of the news cycle. And in fact, their initial taunts toward The Atlantic just got The Atlantic to release even more, which kept the cycle going. And we had two congressional hearings that were dominated by it.

Julian, what did you think of that? I was struck this week that it was the first time in the beginning of this second Trump term that he didn't seem in control of the news cycle. And in fact, their initial taunts toward The Atlantic just got The Atlantic to release even more, which kept the cycle going. And we had two congressional hearings that were dominated by it.

And so, this has been a very interesting moment. I don't know how long it will last.

And so, this has been a very interesting moment. I don't know how long it will last.

that the CIA was behind the killing of the president.

that the CIA was behind the killing of the president.

Yeah, that one, yep. Well, like all Americans, it's loomed really large for my entire life, right? I mean, this is something that everybody talks about generation in, generation out.

Yeah, that one, yep. Well, like all Americans, it's loomed really large for my entire life, right? I mean, this is something that everybody talks about generation in, generation out.

That movie, JFK, came out when I was in college, and... Please be seated. In that movie, Oliver Stone posits that there is a dark conspiracy behind the Kennedy assassination. Right.

That movie, JFK, came out when I was in college, and... Please be seated. In that movie, Oliver Stone posits that there is a dark conspiracy behind the Kennedy assassination. Right.

That it was the CIA, that Oswald didn't act alone.

That it was the CIA, that Oswald didn't act alone.

And I remember I was like, wow, this could be true. Maybe this shadow agency could have done something like that. This infuses so much, you know, why was the CIA covering up what they knew about Oswald? What was the CIA doing in the 1960s into the 1970s?

And I remember I was like, wow, this could be true. Maybe this shadow agency could have done something like that. This infuses so much, you know, why was the CIA covering up what they knew about Oswald? What was the CIA doing in the 1960s into the 1970s?

This is the kind of foundational myth of the CIA and the CIA's relationship with Kennedy is hugely important in the history of the agency and how we understand the agency today.

This is the kind of foundational myth of the CIA and the CIA's relationship with Kennedy is hugely important in the history of the agency and how we understand the agency today.

Well, not to spoil the episode, but the CIA did not kill JFK. We have not learned that there is a second gunman. There is no significance to the grassy knoll. Oswald acted alone. But that doesn't mean this release is not important, right? There are interesting new details about spycraft, about how the CIA operated.

Well, not to spoil the episode, but the CIA did not kill JFK. We have not learned that there is a second gunman. There is no significance to the grassy knoll. Oswald acted alone. But that doesn't mean this release is not important, right? There are interesting new details about spycraft, about how the CIA operated.