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Politics and Government News
Eric McDaniel, NPR

After the debate, Harris, with Biden, and Trump will commemorate 9/11 anniversary

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Flags and flowers are placed by the names of those killed during the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, at the reflecting pools at the National September 11 Memorial & Museum, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024, in New York.
Flags and flowers are placed by the names of those killed during the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks at the reflecting pools at the National September 11 Memorial & Museum on Tuesday in New York.
Donald King/AP

President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris will visit all three Sept. 11 crash sites Wednesday: the World Trade Center in New York, the Pentagon in Arlington, Va., and the Flight 93 Memorial in Shanksville, Pa., according to the White House.

Former President Donald Trump will also attend ceremonies in New York and visit the site in Shanksville to mark the anniversary, according to his campaign.

Harris' trip to all three major memorial sites mirrors President Biden's 2021 trip to mark the 20th anniversary of the terror attacks. Harris spoke at the Pennsylvania commemoration event that year, alongside former President George W. Bush. Bush served as president when the attacks happened.

"On the days that followed September 11th, 2001, we were all reminded that unity is possible in America," Harris said in her remarks. "At the same time, we saw after 9/11 how fear can be used to sow division in our nation."

"But we also saw what happens when so many Americans, in the spirit of our nation, stand in solidarity with all people and their fellow American, with those who experience violence and discrimination — when we stand together," she added.

Former President George W. Bush speaks during a memorial for the passengers and crew of United Flight 93, Saturday Sept. 11, 2021, in Shanksville, Pa., on the 20th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, as Vice President Kamala Harris looks on, right.
Former President George W. Bush speaks during a memorial for the passengers and crew of United Flight 93, Saturday Sept. 11, 2021, in Shanksville, Pa., on the 20th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, as Vice President Kamala Harris looks on, right.
Jacquelyn Martin/AP

That year, Donald Trump visited New York City first responders, though did not participate in any of the formal commemoration ceremonies. He traveled to Florida that evening to provide commentary for a pay-per-view boxing match.

The uneasy intersection of campaign politics and memorializing the deaths of nearly 3000 people has caused frustration among some of those most connected to the anniversary.

One prominent remembrance organization, 9/11 Day, has called on the campaigns to pause their activities during the anniversary — though said in a statement to NPR that it has not heard back from either camp.

Kerri Kelly, who told NPR that she lost her stepfather in the attacks, says she is disappointed by a possible visit by Donald Trump to a New York firehouse on Wednesday.

"A lot of family members are outraged and feel like political props for Trump's campaign," Kelly said, "and are doing what we can to stop him from ruining our day and politicizing our grief."

Copyright 2024, NPR