Declassified documents from the John F. Kennedy assassination files reveal that the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) had a major presence in U.S. embassies worldwide, with agents posing as State Department officials between 1950 and 1960.
The revelations, included in more than 63,000 pages of documents released by the Trump administration on Tuesday evening, shed light on the covert operations of the Cold War-era CIA and the tensions it created within U.S. diplomacy.
One of the most striking revelations comes from a June 10, 1961, memo written by historian Arthur Schlesinger Jr., who warned President Kennedy about the risks of CIA agents masquerading as diplomats, a practice he called “Controlled American Sources” (CAS). The memo, which had long been sought after by historians, was partially redacted until now.
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The memo reveals that on the day of Kennedy’s inauguration, 47% of political offices in U.S. embassies worldwide were filled by CIA agents under diplomatic cover. In some cases, the CIA station chief wielded more influence than the ambassador and pursued policies that conflicted with official U.S. diplomatic objectives.
“Sometimes the CIA mission chief had been in the country longer, had more money at his disposal, wielded more influence (and was abler) than the Ambassador. Often, he had direct access to the Prime Minister. Sometimes … he pursues a different policy from that of the Ambassador,” Schlesinger warned.
The memo lists several embassies where the CIA dominated political sections:
- In Vienna, 16 out of 20 political officers were CIA personnel.
- In Chile, 11 out of 13 political officers were CIA personnel.
- In Paris, the CIA had 123 officers, and its political operatives outnumbered the official diplomatic staff 18-2. The agency even monopolized contact with key French politicians, including the President of the National Assembly.
Schlesinger also referenced the CIA’s suspected role in the April 1961 Algiers putsch, an attempted military coup in French Algeria against President Charles de Gaulle. The memo notes that on the night of the attempted coup, the CIA offices in the Paris embassy were fully lit, and Ambassador James Gavin had trouble gaining access to the agency’s floor.
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The memo, long considered a key document in understanding Kennedy’s rocky relationship with the CIA, underscores his administration’s concerns about the agency’s growing influence over foreign policy.
Schlesinger advocated for a reduction of CIA operatives in U.S. embassies, warning that the agency was encroaching on the traditional role of the State Department. He proposed two key actions:
- Ensuring ambassadors had full control over CIA operations in their embassies.
- Gradually reducing the number of CIA personnel working under diplomatic cover.
While the Kennedy administration was aware of the CIA’s dominance in embassies, it is unclear why the information remained classified for over six decades. The Trump administration’s decision to release 2,182 new files from the Kennedy archives has provided new insights into Cold War intelligence operations, but some sections remain sealed.
Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard welcomed the document release, calling it a step toward government transparency.
“President Trump is ushering in a new era of maximum transparency,” Gabbard said in a statement, adding that more files may be declassified soon.
The New York Times recently reported on the closure of some U.S. embassies, noting that the CIA still relies on diplomatic cover for many of its overseas operations.
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“The vast majority of undercover American intelligence officers work out of embassies and consulates, posing as diplomats, and the closure of diplomatic posts would reduce the CIA’s options for where to position its spies,” the newspaper wrote on March 6.
While the extent of modern CIA operations in embassies remains classified, the newly uncovered JFK-era documents confirm that intelligence agencies have long played a hidden role in U.S. diplomacy.
The release of the Kennedy files has reignited debates over government transparency and intelligence agency oversight. As researchers and historians continue to analyze the declassified documents, the public may learn more about how the CIA has operated under diplomatic cover—and whether similar practices continue today.
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