Some family members of 9/11 victims used the 25th anniversary ceremonies to publicly call on the federal government to hold Saudi Arabia accountable for the attacks.
During the ceremonial reading of the names at Ground Zero, Terry Strada, the widow of 9/11 victim Tom Strada, stated that prior administrations, including those led by presidents in attendance, had failed to secure answers regarding the Saudi government's alleged involvement.
"Administration after administration, including leaders in front of us here today, chose to protect the Saudis instead of standing with the 9/11 families," Strada said. She expressed hope that a trial would one day occur, as a coalition of victims' families continues to pursue evidence in a lawsuit alleging deep Saudi complicity. The Saudi government denies these claims and is contesting the suit in court.
According to the FBI, many of the 9/11 hijackers were Saudi nationals. The Saudi government has repeatedly denied any role in facilitating the attacks, stating in court documents that they remain "an ally of the United States [and] a sworn enemy of Al Qaeda."
A White House spokesperson previously told ABC News that "President Trump is leading the most transparent administration in history, and his team is working diligently to identify records that are responsive to these families' request."
Strada urged President Trump to "change that," stating that presidential administrations have broken "promises both public and private." She implored that leaders "tell the Saudis to stop lying" and that "if they want to be friends with the USA they cannot continue to deny all of this -- all of the pain, all of the destruction that we have all been suffering through."
Trump attended a ceremony at the Pentagon concurrently with the Manhattan event. Strada also urged Vice President JD Vance, who was present at the Ground Zero ceremony, to "carry that message back" to Washington.
A nephew of 9/11 victim Lisa Marie Terry also invoked the alleged Saudi involvement after reading names. "President Trump, you are our last hope. Release the unredacted files that implicate Saudi Arabia while what's left of the victims' families are still alive to see it," he stated to applause.
In July, a group of lawmakers, including Republican Rep. Nicole Malliotakis and Democrats Dan Goldman and Jerry Nadler, wrote to the Public Interest Declassification Board, an advisory panel within the National Archives with the power to recommend declassification of sensitive government secrets. The request, made on behalf of the 9/11 families, cited "repeated obstacles" faced by the families' attorneys in accessing materials from U.S. law enforcement and intelligence agencies.
The Public Interest Declassification Board responded weeks later, stating it was "actively engaged in interagency consultations to determine what equities, if any, may remain in relation to these records" and urged patience as those discussions continued.
The United States and Saudi Arabia have been strategic partners for decades. Trump has maintained a close relationship with the Saudi government, inviting Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to the White House for a state visit in November, the first visit by MBS to the U.S. in seven years.
Trump defended MBS when questioned about anger from 9/11 families over the visit, stating, "As far as this gentleman is concerned, he's done a phenomenal job." Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman responded by saying, "I feel painful about families of 9/11 in America, but we have to focus on reality," alleging that Osama bin Laden used Saudis to damage the relationship between the kingdom and the United States.