US Lawmaker Issues Ultimatum to CIA Over Seized JFK Files

US Representative Anna Paulina Luna has issued a 24-hour ultimatum to the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), demanding the return of 40 boxes of documents related to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy and the MKUltra program. The demand follows testimony from CIA whistleblower James Erdman III, who alleged that the agency seized the files while they were being processed for declassification by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) under Director Tulsi Gabbard. Luna warned that failure to comply would result in a congressional subpoena, accusing the CIA of undermining President Donald Trump’s executive order on declassification. Although ODNI officials denied characterizing the incident as a raid, they confirmed the transfer of documents, which reportedly occurred during the 2025 government shutdown. This confrontation highlights ongoing tensions between intelligence agencies and congressional oversight bodies regarding transparency. The JFK assassination remains a subject of significant public interest and conspiracy theories, with many Americans suspecting government involvement. The MKUltra files pertain to controversial Cold War-era experiments involving psychological torture and LSD. The incident underscores persistent distrust in federal institutions and the political struggle over access to classified historical records.