Fact Check: The CIA's first search of its records turned up no information about Sirhan.

Fact Check: "The CIA's first search of its records turned up no information about Sirhan."

What We Know

The claim that "The CIA's first search of its records turned up no information about Sirhan" relates to the agency's investigation into the assassination of Senator Robert F. Kennedy (RFK) in 1968. Recent releases of documents by the CIA and other agencies have shed light on the information they held regarding Sirhan Sirhan, the man convicted of assassinating RFK.

In May 2025, the Director of National Intelligence released approximately 60,000 documents related to the RFK assassination, which included previously classified materials that had been stored across various federal facilities for decades (DNI Gabbard Releases More Than 60000 Additional). Among these documents were psychological profiles and assessments of Sirhan, indicating that the CIA had indeed compiled information about him, contradicting the claim that their first search yielded no results (CIA releases more than 1000 pages on RFK assassination).

Additionally, a specific CIA document noted that there was "no information identifiable with Sharif Bishara Sirhan" during an initial search, which may have led to the claim being interpreted as a complete lack of information about him (Records Related to the Assassination of Senator Robert F. Kennedy).

Analysis

The assertion that the CIA's first search turned up no information about Sirhan can be misleading. While it is true that an initial search did not yield identifiable records under a specific name, subsequent releases and investigations have shown that the CIA had various documents related to Sirhan, including psychological assessments and notes on his family background and international ties (PSYCHOLOGICAL PROFILE REPORT ON SIRHAN WITH HANDWRITTEN NOTE, PERSONALITY ASSESSMENT OF SIRHAN SIRHAN).

The credibility of the sources is high, as they come directly from government archives and official releases. The DNI's release of documents was part of a broader effort to declassify and digitize records related to the RFK assassination, ensuring that previously inaccessible information is now available for public scrutiny (CIA releases more than 1000 pages on RFK assassination).

However, the interpretation of "no information" can vary based on the context of the search parameters used. The CIA's initial search may have been limited in scope, focusing on specific identifiers rather than a comprehensive review of all records related to Sirhan.

Conclusion

Verdict: Partially True
The claim that "The CIA's first search of its records turned up no information about Sirhan" is partially true. While an initial search may have yielded no identifiable results under a specific name, subsequent investigations and document releases have confirmed that the CIA did possess information about Sirhan Sirhan. This nuance is critical in understanding the full context of the claim.

Sources

1. Records Related to the Assassination of Senator Robert F. Kennedy
2. PSYCHOLOGICAL PROFILE REPORT ON SIRHAN WITH HANDWRITTEN NOTE
3. PERSONALITY ASSESSMENT OF SIRHAN SIRHAN
4. DNI Gabbard Releases More Than 60000 Additional
5. CIA releases more than 1000 pages on RFK assassination
6. Robert F. Kennedy met with the CIA after a trip to the Soviet Union
7. CIA releases 54 declassified documents related to RFK
8. 'RFK must fall': CIA releases Sirhan Sirhan diary pages and Kennedy assassination files