Former President Donald Trump has decided not to attend the 25th anniversary ceremonies for the September 11, 2001 terror attacks at Ground Zero in New York. Instead, he is scheduled to participate in a commemoration at the Pentagon, where politicians are permitted to give speeches.
According to a report, Trump had expressed a desire to speak at the National September 11 Memorial and Museum and had sent his team for advance visits. However, sources indicated that the museum's policy, in place since 2012, is to prevent any partisanship by barring politicians from speaking at the events. This policy aims to maintain a non-political tone during the observances.
Vice President JD Vance is expected to represent the Trump administration at the New York ceremony. Former Presidents Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, and George W. Bush are also anticipated to attend the Ground Zero event. Trump is scheduled to return to Washington from the Republican Party's midterm convention in Texas two days before September 11.
Last year, Trump also commemorated September 11 at the Pentagon, where he delivered remarks. Following the Pentagon ceremony, he plans to travel to Ireland to visit his golf course, where the Irish Open is scheduled to take place. This itinerary would allow his flight to depart from Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, which is noted as being more convenient for local air traffic control compared to New York-area airports.
A White House spokeswoman, Anna Kelly, issued a statement emphasizing the importance of remembering the victims but did not specifically address Trump's attendance plans.
Trump has a history of attending 9/11 memorials. He was present at the Ground Zero ceremony in 2024, appearing alongside then-Vice President Kamala Harris. This event marked a rare instance where the former president and the current administration's representatives were in the same space. Trump also attended a New York Yankees baseball game the day after the 2025 memorial. He has previously pledged to honor those who died on that day, stating, "We will defend the nation they served, the values they upheld and the freedom for which they died."