JFK Assassination and UFOs

The conspiracy theory that President John F. Kennedy was assassinated to prevent him from disclosing the truth about extraterrestrials is a "mashup" of two separate historical subcultures: the JFK assassination community and the UFO "disclosure" movement.

While JFK assassination theories began immediately in 1963, the specific UFO connection didn’t gain significant traction until the late 1980s and early 1990s.

The Early Seeds: Jim Garrison (1967)

The first intersection between the JFK assassination and the UFO world came through New Orleans District Attorney Jim Garrison. During his investigation of Clay Shaw, Garrison became interested in Fred Crisman, a man he suspected of being one of the "three tramps" at Dealey Plaza.

• The Link: Crisman was a notorious figure in UFO lore, having been a central witness in the 1947 Maury Island incident (often called the first "Men in Black" case).

• Significance: While Garrison focused on Crisman’s alleged intelligence ties, his involvement allowed later ufologists to claim that "UFO people" were present at the assassination.

• Source: Wikipedia - UFO Conspiracy Theories

The Catalyst: The Majestic 12 Documents (1984–1987)

In 1984, a roll of film containing "Top Secret" documents was anonymously mailed to television producer Jamie Shandera. These documents described Majestic 12 (MJ-12), a secret committee allegedly formed by Harry Truman to manage the Roswell crash.

• The JFK Connection: Later "leaked" MJ-12 documents (widely considered forgeries by historians and the FBI) suggested that JFK had begun asking too many questions about MJ-12's activities and that the committee viewed him as a security risk.

• Source: FBI Records: The Vault — Majestic 12

The "Grand Architect": Milton William Cooper (1991)

The theory reached its modern form through Milton William "Bill" Cooper, a former Navy petty officer and influential conspiracy theorist. In his 1991 book, Behold a Pale Horse, Cooper synthesized various theories into a singular narrative.

• The Claim: Cooper asserted that JFK was assassinated because he intended to reveal that aliens were in the process of taking over Earth.

• The "Driver" Theory: Cooper famously (and falsely) claimed that a secret version of the Zapruder film showed the limousine driver, William Greer, turning around and shooting JFK with a "gas-pressure device developed by aliens."

• Source: Milton William Cooper - Wikipedia

The "Smoking Gun": The Burned Memo (1999)

The final piece of the puzzle appeared in 1999, when UFO researcher Timothy Cooper claimed to have received a "burned" memo from a former CIA source.

• The Content: Dated November 12, 1963 (ten days before the assassination), the memo is addressed to the Director of Central Intelligence. It requests a "classification review of all UFO intelligence files affecting National Security."

• Authenticity: Most historians and document experts consider the "Burned Memo" a hoax, citing formatting errors and the fact that it only surfaced decades later. However, it remains the primary "evidence" cited by proponents of the theory today.

• Source: History Channel - Ancient Aliens: Was JFK Silenced?

Evolution of the Theory