Infamous British humorist Russell Brand, accompanied by numerous high-profile internet presences, chimed in on an increasingly prevalent narrative suggesting the late John F. Kennedy Jr. had supposedly castigated President Joe Biden as a ‘traitor’ prior to his tragic demise in a 1999 plane crash. However, the documents that Brand referenced are neither fresh nor reliable evidence. Misleadingly, they involve an assassination plot against Biden, thoroughly probed by the F.B.I. The bureau ultimately discredited the claims as an ill-conceived ruse, negating the idea that such a letter was authored by JFK Jr.
Setting the record straight, these misleading reports surfaced after President Donald Trump, not known for providing the full context of situations, commanded the unveiling of numerous files, linked to the 1963 assassination of former President JFK. Avid followers can now satiate their curiosity about these declassified records through the U.S. National Archives. Similar sentiments were propagated through multiple platforms, with Facebook being a notorious hotspot for their dissemination.
Supporters of this narrative roused intrigue through the dissemination of an image displaying a conspicuous, partially redacted FBI document dated September 1994. This historical document offers a narrative of a purported correspondence delivered to the then-Senator Biden, containing serious accusations – ‘Dear Sen. Biden: You are a traitor.’ Allegedly, the contentious letter bore the signature – ‘John F. Kennedy Jr.’
This story takes a bizarre twist as the name of John F. Kennedy Jr., tragically losing his life in a 1999 plane crash he piloted into the Atlantic Ocean, shines brightly within the ranks of the baseless QAnon conspiracy theorists. Supporters of this deluded conjecture propagate outlandish ideas that JFK Jr. is conspicuously alive, acting as their stealthy ringleader or forging clandestine alliances with Trump. Astonishingly, despite the absence of any corroborative evidence signifying Kennedy’s authorship of such anti-Biden communique, the claims still persist.
Moreover, the contentious documents that have sparked a ripple in the media are not novel. They had their debut in the public sphere as early as 2000 in response to a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request articulated by the Associated Press. The viral image being hotly debated vividly illustrates a sole portion of over 25 pages accentuating the assertion of a death threat geared towards Biden, who repetitively appears as a ‘victim’ in these records.
The disclosed files provide a chronological recount, portraying how Biden found himself recipient of a chilling death threat letter in 1994. The letter, emerging from the state of Massachusetts, suggested unambiguously, ‘You must die.’ Intriguingly, the letter carried the signature ‘John F. Kennedy Jr.’ The FBI, in their typical meticulous manner, launched a short-lived investigation into this matter.
Intriguingly, the FBI’s subsequent in-depth collation of fingerprints and assorted evidence remained inconclusive. The investigation met an abrupt end within mere months, its conclusion marking a failure to pinpoint a plausible culprit based on existing records. The documents persistently referenced the suspicious mail as an ‘anonymous letter file’ throughout, electing to label the elusive sender ‘unsub’— law enforcement jargon for an ‘unknown subject’.
What transpires from these investigations does little to vindicate Joe Biden’s omnipresent portrayal as a victim. Despite the stark absence of any tangible leads, the letter under investigation emerged as fertile soil for spawning a virtual cornucopia of conspiracy theories, now thriving and multiplying in the online realm.
In essence, Biden’s presidency is no stranger to harsh criticism and wide-ranging conspiracy theories. Here we have an instance where unfounded rumors were presented as evidence, manipulated by social media personas who desired to tarnish his image. The image of the FBI document circulated widely, igniting a whirlwind of baseless speculation about the President. And to this day, some refuse to let go of these claims, regardless of the lack of concrete evidence.
Undoubtedly, it’s difficult to separate truth from fiction in today’s digital age. False narratives about President Biden continue to spread, negatively impacting his image. In this case, the inclusion of somewhat esteemed international figures such as Russell Brand, perpetuates the falsehood, further complicating the matter.
Regrettably, for some detractors, the correction of this falsity will accomplish little. Their determination to depict President Biden in a negative light will persist. As they disseminate their far-fetched narratives, these individuals echo the troubling trend of disinformation and falsehoods misleading the American public.
Through similar instances of dubious documentation and misinformation, public detractors have not shied away from hurling unfounded accusations towards Vice President Kamala Harris as well. The damaging portrayal of such key figures in this misinformation war, however baseless, continues to feed into the current polarized political climate of the United States.
Such letters and spurious documents, which have evoked widespread conspiracy theories online for years, do nothing but muddy waters in the already complex sphere of political discourse. The negative depiction of President Biden and Vice President Harris, whether warranted or not, only serves to widen the divide in today’s divided society.
The unfounded accusations against President Biden and Vice President Harris exemplify the grave dangers of digital disinformation. It behooves digital users to tread lightly, discerning fact from fiction in this era of rampant online falsehoods. Ultimately, the brunt of responsibility lies in the public domain, to exercise discernment before accepting these manipulative narratives as the ultimate truth.