White House principal deputy press secretary Anna Kelly stated that the president will remember those killed and pay tribute to first responders who put their lives on the line.
The White House plans to maintain a presence across all three primary sites tied to the 25th-anniversary remembrances. While President Trump visits the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, Vice President JD Vance will commemorate the attacks at the World Trade Center site in New York, and other administration officials will gather in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. In New York, Vice President Vance is set to join former presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush, and Bill Clinton, along with former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, according to USA Today.
Decisions on Ceremony Locations and Public Remarks
President Trump confirmed his itinerary to reporters on Aug. 28, stating he would visit the Pentagon rather than attend the annual remembrance ceremony at Ground Zero in New York. The New York Times reported that logistical considerations and a desire by President Trump to deliver remarks factored into his absence, noting that the New York ceremony has barred political speeches since 2012 to keep the event nonpartisan. President Trump strongly disputed that characterization in a lengthy post on Truth Social, writing that no one ever speaks at the solemn New York ceremony.
Of the nearly 3,000 people killed on 9/11, 2,753 died at the World Trade Center, 184 died at the Pentagon and 140 people died when their hijacked plane crashed in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. President Trump, a native New Yorker, witnessed the tragedy unfold in real time from a window in New York City. Ahead of the Friday anniversary events, President Trump is scheduled to speak on the evening of Sept. 10 in Dallas at the Republican Party’s midterm convention.
Did You Know? Ahead of the anniversary, the Tunnel to Towers Foundation brought its “Steel Across America” tour to the White House on Tuesday, displaying a 21-foot, 16,900-pound steel beam recovered from the South Tower of the World Trade Center.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where will President Trump mark the 25th anniversary of 9/11?
President Trump will commemorate the anniversary at the Pentagon on Friday.
Who will represent the White House at the New York City remembrance ceremony?
Vice President JD Vance will attend the ceremony at the World Trade Center site in New York.
What other officials are expected at the New York ceremony?
Former presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush, and Bill Clinton, as well as former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, are expected to join the New York commemoration.
How will local communities and federal institutions balance solemn remembrance with modern security protocols as the nation marks a quarter-century since the 2001 attacks?