The 2025 files confirm the CIA had eyes on Lee Harvey Oswald long before Dealey Plaza-and chose not to intervene.
đȘ The Man They Claimed Not to Know
For decades, the official narrative implied Oswald was a lone actor-barely on the radar of federal agencies.
But the newly released 2025 files destroy that idea completely.
The CIA wasnât just aware of Oswald before JFK was shot.
They had been tracking him since 1959-and closely monitoring him for months before the assassination.
đ Oswaldâs âMarkedâ Status Since His Soviet Defection
When Oswald defected to the USSR in 1959, the CIA opened a 201 file-a personal dossier used to track potentially sensitive individuals.
The 2025 documents reveal:
- The file remained active through his return to the U.S. in 1962
- Oswald was flagged for repeated âwatchlist events,â including correspondence with embassies and political groups
- One memo from 1963 reads: âSubject exhibits continued instability and elevated threat posture.â
So why wasnât he stopped?
đ”ïžââïž The Mexico City Surveillance Gap
The CIA ran heavy surveillance on the Soviet and Cuban embassies in Mexico City, where Oswald visited just weeks before the assassination.
The new files include:
- Transcripts of Oswaldâs calls to both embassies
- A memo titled âSubject attempts contact with known hostile agentsâ
- A photo surveillance report noting: âSubject present. Identity believed confirmed.â
The CIA knew where he was, who he talked to, and what he wanted.
Still, no action was taken.
đ„ A Decision Not to Act
The most revealing piece? A November 9, 1963 cable from CIA HQ to its Mexico City station:
âNo further active measures to be taken. Monitor passively. Do not escalate.â
Why did they pull back?
The document doesnât say.
But other cables reference concerns over âoperational conflictsâ and the need to âavoid entanglement with domestic political fallout.â
𧩠The Pattern: Watching, Not Preventing
The CIA had:
- A detailed file on Oswald
- Surveillance of his embassy visits
- Intercepts of his phone calls
- Psychological profiles showing instability
- Reports that he had access to weapons and radical groups
And yet, they never intervened.
đ From Tracker to Spectator
The CIA didnât lose Oswald.
They didnât ignore him.
They just chose not to act.
The 2025 files make it clear:
Oswald was watched. Documented. Understood. And ultimately-allowed to move freely toward Dallas.