Trump Releases JFK Assassination Files Revealing CIA’s Secret Nairobi Base
President Donald Trump’s release of the JFK assassination files revealed that the CIA had a secret base in Nairobi, Kenya.
These files, made public by Trump, showed the CIA’s presence in Kenya. Nairobi was one of six African cities where the agency had operations.
The other cities were Johannesburg, Pretoria, Lagos, Rabat, and Salisbury (now Harare).
The documents, from the 1960s, indicated the CIA was expanding its influence in Africa, especially as many nations gained independence.
The exact reasons for the Nairobi base were not given. The files had few details. However, it’s common for intelligence agencies to operate in other countries to protect their nation’s interests.
The CIA’s presence in Nairobi during JFK’s time suggests the city was a key hub for their African operations. It had a strategic role in gathering information and engaging diplomatically, particularly during the Cold War.
These files showed the CIA’s wider global operations, which likely included Nairobi, to counter Soviet influence and monitor political movements.
It’s unclear if the base stayed open after JFK’s death. Later, the CIA partnered with the Kenyan police. This happened after the 1998 U.S. embassy bombings in Nairobi and Dar es Salaam, where the CIA increased its anti-terrorism efforts in East Africa.
In 2004, the CIA created a secret paramilitary unit within the Kenyan police, called the Rapid Response Team (RRT). This was part of a program to train local forces in global hotspots.
The first group, “Team 18,” had 18 officers chosen by Kenya and trained in the U.S.
The RRT operates from a base in Ruiru, near Nairobi. It gets money, weapons, and equipment from the CIA. It works with Kenya’s National Intelligence Service (NIS) and has been involved in anti-terrorism operations.
High-level meetings between U.S. and Kenyan officials have shown the importance of this relationship. In January 2024, former CIA Director William J. Burns visited Nairobi and met with President William Ruto to discuss counter-terrorism.
Later in October 2024, Burns visited again, coinciding with a meeting between President Ruto and the UK’s MI6 Chief, Richard Moore, showing Kenya’s strategic importance.
While the CIA’s facilities in Nairobi remain secret, these activities show a strong partnership between the CIA and Kenyan security agencies. Nairobi is a central hub for intelligence and anti-terrorism in the region.
Trump’s release of these files is expected to reveal many secrets, especially for the CIA. It will be interesting to see how the agency reacts to the exposure of some of its hidden activities.
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Trump Releases JFK Assassination Files Revealing CIA’s Secret Nairobi Base
