Former President Biden to join other ex-presidents at New York 9/11 memorial
Former President Biden will attend the Ground Zero ceremony marking the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks. He will be joined by former Presidents Obama, Clinton, and George W. Bush, as well as their spouses. President Trump will instead commemorate the anniversary at the Pentagon.
The Sept. 11 ceremony marks a quarter-century since the attacks that killed 2,977 people across three sites. Biden joins Obama, Clinton, and George W. Bush at Ground Zero, alongside former first ladies and Hillary Clinton. Vice President Vance will represent the administration there, while other officials attend the Flight 93 memorial in Pennsylvania.
Trump's decision to mark the anniversary at the Pentagon follows reports he was barred from speaking at the New York ceremony, which he denied. The memorial has prohibited political speeches since 2012. Trump also has scheduled events in Dallas and a subsequent trip to Ireland, with departure logistics cited as a factor in his itinerary.
This gathering of former presidents at Ground Zero could reinforce the ceremony's role as a rare moment of bipartisan unity, contrasting with Trump's separate appearance at the Pentagon. The split may highlight ongoing political divisions around national commemoration, potentially shaping public perception of how leaders honor shared tragedy. For families of victims and first responders, the presence of multiple presidents could provide a sense of continuity, though the separation of current and former leaders may also underscore how deeply partisan dynamics now permeate even solemn national observances.