though never admitted by the u.s. government, the u.s. secretly provided arms and other support for the military coup plotters. u.s. government documents released on 31 march 2004, the 40th anniversary of the brazilian coup, expose the u.s. role. an audio tape released that day, for instance, showed american president lyndon b. johnson (1963–1969) instructing his aides in brazil with these words: "i think we ought to take every step that we can, be prepared to do everything that we need to do." the kennedy administration led by johnson's predecessor john f. kennedy (1961-1963), who was killed in 1963, was the architect of the coup. president kennedy had begun preparations for the coup in july 1962. u.s. ambassador to brazil, lincoln gordon, a holdover from the kennedy administration, was perhaps the most enthusiastic pro-coup u.s. authority. lincoln and chief latin american advisor richard n. goodwin had a meeting with president when preparations for the coup began in july 1962. us attorney general robert kennedy, another kennedy administration holdover and brother to the late president, was also highly enthusiastic about the coup. an audio tape released on the 50th anniversary of the coup in 2014 revealed that robert kennedy had characterized goulart as a "wily" politician" who "figures he's got us by the ass."