Newly-declassified files include the unredacted social security numbers of hundreds of congressional staffers, diplomats and intelligence officials who are still alive, opening them up to the risk of identity theft.

Joseph diGenova, a lawyer who latterly worked on Trump’s election campaign, told USA Today that he intends to sue the US National Archives and Records Administration over the inclusion of his personal details in the documents cache.

President Trump appeared to downplay the release of social security numbers in an Oval Office interview, suggesting all of the people involved were now deceased.

According to MSNBC, he told reporters: “We even released social security numbers. I didn’t want anything deleted. They said ‘sir, what about social security numbers?’. But they’re long gone. I can’t imagine.”

The National Archives said in a statement that it has been directed by the White House to prepare an action plan to help protect individuals whose personal information was disclosed in the JFK files.

“The National Archives and Records Administration and the Social Security Administration are working closely together to protect the individuals who may be affected from their information being exploited,” it said.