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President Biden is facing criticism from some relatives of 9/11 victims for breaking with a 22-year tradition by not spending the anniversary of the attacks at a memorial site or the White House.
Retired Air Force Lt. Col. Donald Arias, who lost his brother Adam in the tragedy, remarked on “Fox & Friends First,” “It’s expected he wouldn’t show up at Ground Zero or any related sites. Frankly, I’d rather he didn’t. It saves us from hearing another one of his anecdotal stories, like the one about a kitchen fire, as if that equates to what we’ve been through.”
Returning from an international tour of India and Vietnam, President Biden is slated to give a speech later today at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska. Meanwhile, Vice President Kamala Harris will be present at ceremonies at the National September 11 Memorial in New York City.
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Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said, “The President plans to commemorate the lives lost and empathize with families who continue to mourn. This is an important act of remembrance for him.”
Terry Strada, who lost her husband Tom in the World Trade Center attack, took issue with Biden’s choice, describing it as “contrary to the vow of ‘never forgetting’ we all made.” She added, “It’s appalling that he feels he doesn’t need to be present at any of the memorial locations. That’s deeply disappointing.”
Strada is the chair of 9/11 Families United, an organization that advocates for transparency about the events surrounding 9/11 while preserving the memory of its victims. Matt Bocchi, whose father John was among the victims, said the President’s absence is indicative of a broader societal issue.
“It shows a troubling message that forgetting is permissible. For myself and others like me, forgetting isn’t an option,” he stated on Monday.
President Donald Trump visiting the NYPD and FDNY on 9/11 while Joe Biden goes on another vacation and sends more money to Ukraine pic.twitter.com/PeT4F39ZhT
— Marjorie Taylor Greene Press Release (Parody) (@MTGrepp) September 11, 2023
The terrorist attacks on September 11, orchestrated by al-Qaeda and its leader Usama bin Laden, resulted in the deaths of 2,977 individuals.
The events of that day have had a profound and lasting impact on national security and foreign policy in the United States.