Question about the Trujillo Assassination

[David Andrews]

I'm familiar with the mechanics of the Rafael Trujillo assassination - attempts at arms smuggling by CIA, approaches to the colonels, etc.  Plus the various CIA demurrers from involvement you can read on wiki.   But what do we know, or what is there documented, about the involvement and approval of JFK and RFK?

I'm assuming this was an operation greenlighted under the Eisenhower administration, but what did the Kennedys know about it?

The idea that Ramfis Trujillo, son of the dictator, contributed funds to the Kennedy assassination in order to embarrass the CIA is often floated - when actually the funding may have been one of the biggest favors done for the Agency and its organs (CMC-Permindex), and of no damage to it.

Is there a book or other study where JFK vs Trujillo is discussed?  Was Kennedy blamed for an operation he had little or no involvement in?  What was Kennedy's reaction to the killing?

Can we learn more about the Kennedy admin's decisions about Cuba from its attitude toward the Trujillo regime?

Edited November 2, 2019 by David Andrews

[James DiEugenio]

Before he turned, Smathers said that Kennedy really worried about some of the things the CIA was doing behind his back. 

He suspected them of being involved in Trujillo's assassination.

[Ron Bulman]

"Before he turned..."  I've read JFK was friends with Smathers, wanted him as a running mate.  Might he have been more loyal than LBJ, or would he have turned earlier?  Florida makes me think of Nixon and Bebe Robozo.  Along with shrub in 2000.

 https://www.thestar.com/news/world/2011/12/29/richard_nixon_may_have_had_gay_relationship_with_bebe_rebozo_his_confidant_and_banker_book_alleges.html

[James DiEugenio]

He turned years after JFK's  death and became a willing participant to all those publishers who wanted to try and discredit Kennedy's reputation. 

If I recall the first was with Lucianna Goldberg and Kitty Kelley in her book on Jackie.

Edited November 2, 2019 by James DiEugenio

[Stu Wexler]

A long while back-- and I would love to recover it-- on either alt.assassination.jfk or the moderated version, someone doing a thesis paper asked a question on the group that has always fascinated me. He had found a book written by a historian who also also happened to be an official in the Dominican. Said historian/official wrote something on the lead up to the Trujillo assassination that this poster was hoping someone could explain. Apparently, a CIA officer in the Dominican, one who played a role in the Trujillo assassination,  Colonel Lear Reed, had been openly talking about a major change coming in policy in the Carribean shortly before JFK's assassination.  If someone can find the quote, and if we could explore that, it might be important.