Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas is firing back after a podcast conversation between Chris Cuomo and Tucker Carlson suggested Cotton opposed the release of files about the assassination of John F. Kennedy.
Conservative news outlet The Blaze posted the story after Cotton took to social media to refute what Carlson asserted on Monday, that a Republican senator opposed the move, a person Carlson eventually later identified on-air to be Cotton.
On Tuesday, Cotton forcefully denied the allegation on X.
“This is false. I have no problem releasing the ‘JFK files.’ Had @tuckercarlson asked me, I would’ve told him. He has texted me multiple times in recent weeks, so he knows how to reach me,” said the senator on social media.
The controversy stemmed from Carlson claiming that a politician had opposed the hiring of someone to a job in the intelligence community because that person would push for the release of the files.
“You have a sitting member of the United States Senate whose main goal is to keep those files secret. And then you have to ask yourself why!” he said.
Cuomo pressed Carlson to reveal the name of the senator, and he claimed it was Cotton.
Tucker Carlson claims GOP Senator Tom Cotton is trying to block the release of the JFK Files: pic.twitter.com/bU9G2fhtyq
— TheBlaze (@theblaze) March 11, 2025
“Kinda makes people suspicious of you, by the way!” Cuomo replied. “… And you didn’t go to him and find out why?”
“Well, I need to sit down with him. I’m not sure that he’ll do an interview with me,” Carlson responded.
Also not true, Cotton contended on social media, saying the popular conservative media figure “has texted me multiple times in recent weeks, so he knows how to reach me.”
In another post, Cotton again addressed Carlson that same day.
“I would’ve explained that I’ve never spoken to President Trump or his associates or administration officials about the files,” Cotton added, “never objected to the appointment of any person because of the files, and have complete faith that [Director of National Intelligence] Tulsi Gabbard, [CIA Director] John Ratcliffe, [U.S. Attorney General] Pam Bondi, [FBI Director] Kash Patel, and other officials will release the files as appropriate in accordance with President Trump’s directive.”
The Trump administration has promised to release the controversial files. Last month, Republican Rep. Anna Paulina Luna of Florida announced that she was tasked with leading the effort to identify and release the JFK files.
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