Released JFK files reveal Social Security numbers of former staffers
The Social Security numbers and other personal details of at least two former congressional staffers who investigated the assassination of President John F. Kennedy were revealed by this week's release of declassified records ordered by President Donald Trump.
Joseph diGenova, 80, and Christopher Pyle, 86, both had their names, birth dates, birth places and Social Security numbers unmasked in the document released by the National Archives -- potentially putting them at risk of identity theft and fraud.
The Washington Post spoke to both of the former staffers and ABC News confirmed that both men's Social Security numbers were in the newly published documents.
It is unclear how many other people whose Social Security numbers are in the documents and are also still alive. The Washington Post reported that data of more than 200 former congressional staffers and others was made public.
Of those, more than 80 people with birth dates between 1930 and 1952 -- putting them in their 70s, 80s or 90s -- also had their Social Security numbers and birth dates published.
The White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement Thursday that 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.”
A spokesperson for the National Archives said the Archives, Records Administration and the Social Security Administration were working to protect individuals who might be affected from their information being released. "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," the spokesperson said.
Individuals who had their Social Security numbers released will be given new ones, a process that could take some time as the National Archives finds all possible victims. In the meantime, the Social Security Administration will offer credit monitoring services.
Trump signed an executive order on Jan. 23 directing the release of all remaining records related to the assassination, saying it was in the "public interest" to do so.
The records were posted to the National Archives' website on Tuesday, joining recently released records posted in 2023, 2022, 2021 and 2017-2018.
Tuesday's initial release contained 1,123 records comprising 32,000 pages. A subsequent release on Tuesday night contained 1,059 records comprising 31,400 additional pages.
More than 60,000 pages related to the 1963 assassination were released. Many of the pages had been previously disclosed, but with redactions. Many, but not all, redactions have been removed.
The records were posted to the National Archives webpage under the headline "JFK Assassination Records -- 2025 Documents Release."
