The United States commemorated the 25th anniversary of the 9\/11\ntragedy with a moving ceremony at Ground Zero, New York, on Friday\n(11\/9). However, US President Donald Trump was not personally present at\nthe official memorial event.<\/p>\n
Only US Vice President JD Vance attended the New York commemoration,\nwhich was also attended by four living former US Presidents: George W.\nBush, who was in office during the 9\/11 attacks, alongside Joe Biden,\nBarack Obama, and Bill Clinton.<\/p>\n
In an unusual move, as reported by AFP and Hindustan Times on\nSaturday (12\/9\/2026), Trump attended a 9\/11 memorial service held at the\nPentagon headquarters, or the US Department of Defense, located in\nArlington County, Virginia.<\/p>\n
During the terrorist attacks on 11 September 2001, one of the\nhijacked planes struck the Pentagon headquarters, killing at least 184\npeople. A total of 2,977 people died in the terrorist attacks that also\nstruck the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York\napproximately 25 years ago.<\/p>\n
The memorial event in New York was held with solemnity, attended by\nthe families of victims and marked by moments of remembering the 9\/11\ntragedy minute by minute. The names of the victims were read aloud, and\nbells were rung to mark key moments of the attacks.<\/p>\n
These memorial ceremonies are generally non-political in nature and\ndo not feature speeches.<\/p>\n
Why was Trump absent from the 9\/11 commemoration in New York?<\/p>\n
Trump\u2019s decision not to attend drew significant attention because he\nis from New York and has attended the commemorations in the past.<\/p>\n
The prominent US media outlet, the New York Times (NYT), reported\nthat Trump wished to deliver a keynote speech at the 9\/11 memorial at\nGround Zero, New York. However, the annual event does not permit\npoliticians or public officials to deliver speeches.<\/p>\n
This was reported to have influenced Trump\u2019s decision to attend the\nmemorial at the Pentagon, where he did deliver a speech from the\npodium.<\/p>\n
Trump has denied the NYT report. \u201cThis is another example of Corrupt\nNews; I have come to New York many times over the years, and no one\ngives a speech, it is a \u2018solemn ceremony\u2019,\u201d he stated.<\/p>\n
In an interview with radio station 77 WABC on Friday (11\/9), Trump\nagain dismissed reports claiming he was absent from New York because he\nwas not permitted to speak.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat is not true at all. I did not demand to speak,\u201d he asserted, as\nreported by The Hill.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have spoken enough; the last thing I want to do is speak,\u201d Trump\nadded. \u201cI do not need it for any reason.\u201d<\/p>\n
Trump Linked 9\/11 Tragedy to Iran War in His Speech<\/p>\n
In his speech at the Pentagon, Trump sought to link the \u201cwar on\nterror\u201d following the 9\/11 tragedy\u2014which triggered years of US\ninvolvement in various Middle Eastern conflicts\u2014with the ongoing\nconflict involving Iran.<\/p>\n
\u201cToday we renew the sacred oath that we first took in their name a\nquarter of a century ago. We will never, ever forget that event. That is\nwhy we fight today,\u201d Trump said during his speech at the Pentagon\nmemorial on Friday (11\/9).<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have no choice. There is only victory. We fight hard. We fight to\nwin,\u201d asserted the US President, who was accompanied by First Lady\nMelania Trump.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/25th-anniversary-of-9-11-commemorated-in-new-york-without-trump-the-reason-why-1789210616", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }