Former U.S. Presidents to Attend 25th Anniversary of 9/11 Ceremony in New York
All four former U.S. presidents, Joe Biden, Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush, are set to attend a ceremony in New York to honor the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Donald Trump, however, will not be present at the event at Ground Zero due to restrictions on delivering speeches. Instead, Trump will commemorate the attacks at the Pentagon, which was also targeted on 9/11. The National September 11 Memorial and Museum has prohibited politicians from giving speeches at the Ground Zero commemoration since 2012 to maintain focus on the victims and their families. Vice President JD Vance will attend on behalf of the Trump administration but will not speak.
Trump has denied claims that he skipped the 9/11 event in New York because he was not allowed to speak. In a social media post, Trump attacked New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman, accusing her of fabricating the story. Trump's travel plans before and after the event led to the decision to depart from Joint Base Andrews in Maryland after the Pentagon ceremony. He is scheduled to attend a convention in Dallas before heading to his golf course in Ireland.
Biden's attendance at the 9/11 memorial will be a rare public appearance as he undergoes treatment for prostate cancer. Hillary Clinton, Trump's former election rival and New York senator during the 9/11 attacks, will also be present at the memorial event. The White House has been contacted for comment on the matter.