Trump Releases JFK Assassination Files Showing CIA Base That Operated In Nairobi

United States (US) President Donald Trump recently released files related to the 1963 assassination of then-US President John F. Kennedy (JFK), with something interesting; the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) operated a secret base in Nairobi, Kenya.

The files declassified following orders by the Trump administration revealed that the Nairobi base was one of six bases in Africa operated by the CIA, a civilian foreign intelligence service of the federal government of the US tasked with advancing national security through collecting and analyzing intelligence from around the world and conducting covert operations.

Beyond Nairobi, other cities mentioned included Johannesburg and Pretoria in South Africa, Lagos in Nigeria, Rabat in Morocco, and Salisbury (now Harare) in Zimbabwe.

Declassified files from the 1960s suggest that the CIA was actively working to expand its presence across Africa, particularly during a period when many nations on the continent were securing independence.

A photo of President William Ruto (centre), former CIA Director William J. Burns (left) and National Intelligence Service Director General Noordin Haji (right) at State House, Nairobi. /PCS

As is often the case with the agency, the precise objectives behind setting up operations in these locations remain undisclosed, with the documents offering little insight into their activities. However, it aligns with the broader strategy of intelligence agencies establishing foreign bases to safeguard their home countries’ geopolitical interests.

Nonetheless, the CIA’s presence in Nairobi during President John F. Kennedy’s administration indicates the city’s strategic significance as a regional intelligence hub. Nairobi played a key role in intelligence gathering and diplomatic manoeuvring, particularly within the context of the Cold War.

The files also reflect the CIA’s wider focus on countering Soviet influence and monitoring African political movements. While it remains unclear whether the agency’s base in Nairobi continued operations beyond Kennedy’s presidency, U.S.-Kenya intelligence collaboration deepened in later years, particularly after the 1998 U.S. embassy bombings in Nairobi and Dar es Salaam.

Following the attacks, the CIA significantly expanded its footprint in East Africa, forging closer ties with Kenyan security agencies. In 2004, the agency helped establish a covert paramilitary unit within the Kenyan police known as the Rapid Response Team (RRT). Designed to enhance counterterrorism capabilities, this secretive initiative involved training and equipping local forces.

The first group, known as Team 18, consisted of 18 Kenyan officers handpicked by local authorities and trained in the United States. The RRT, which operates out of a base in Ruiru, east of Nairobi, continues to receive funding, weapons, and tactical support from the CIA. The unit collaborates closely with Kenya’s National Intelligence Service (NIS) and has been actively involved in counterterrorism operations, including renditions and high-risk interventions.

High-level meetings between U.S. intelligence officials and Kenyan leaders underscore the depth of this partnership. In January 2024, former CIA Director William J. Burns visited Nairobi for discussions with President William Ruto on counterterrorism and regional security.

Later in October, Burns returned, coinciding with a separate meeting between President Ruto and MI6 Chief Richard Moore, further highlighting Kenya’s strategic role in East Africa.

Although details about CIA facilities in Nairobi remain undisclosed, these revelations reinforce the city’s importance as a critical centre for intelligence and counterterrorism efforts in the region.

Approximately 2,200 files, comprising over 63,000 pages, were published on the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) website on Tuesday. The majority of the archives' extensive collection—totalling around six million pages of documents, photographs, videos, audio recordings, and artefacts related to the assassination—had already been accessible to the public.

Former President Donald Trump had mentioned the impending release to reporters on Monday, though he had estimated the number of pages to be around 80,000.

His decision to release these files is expected to stir controversy, particularly for the CIA, an agency known for its secretive operations. The disclosures may prompt tough questions about its long-standing covert activities in Africa, putting U.S. intelligence under fresh scrutiny.

A photo of the CIA logo. /PYMNTS.COM