The United States recollects the 9/11 attacks by putting politics and victims first
September 11, the date of the 2001 attacks that claimed nearly 3,000 lives, falls during the peak of the presidential election cycle every four years.
The United States honored the lives lost and those impacted by the events of 9/11, marking the anniversary amid the ongoing presidential campaign.
On Wednesday, President Joe Biden, former President Donald Trump, and Vice President Kamala Harris gathered at ground zero to commemorate the tragedy.
September 11, the date of the 2001 attacks that claimed nearly 3,000 lives, falls during the peak of the presidential election cycle every four years.
This year, it comes at a critical point in the election. The remembrance ceremony at the World Trade Center saw Harris and Trump, the Democratic and Republican candidates, meet just hours after their first debate the previous evening.
Trump and his running mate, Senator JD Vance, arrived at the site around 8 a.m., followed by Biden and Harris about 30 minutes later.
The crowd responded with cheers for both "Donald!" and "Kamala!" as they arrived.
Biden and Trump exchanged a handshake, and former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg facilitated a handshake between Harris and Trump.
The ceremony then began with the tolling of a bell and a moment of silence, with Biden and Bloomberg standing between Harris and Trump.
For many victims' families, such as Cathy Naughton, who attended to honor her cousin Michael Roberts, a firefighter killed in the attacks, the focus remained on remembering those lost.
"It’s just so raw," Naughton remarked, emphasizing the importance of never forgetting the victims’ names.
Despite the political atmosphere, organizers of the ceremony have long focused on the victims.
The role of politicians at ground zero has traditionally been limited to observers, with relatives of the victims reading their names aloud.
Korryn Bishop, who lost her cousin John F. McDowell Jr., expressed mixed feelings about the presence of politicians at the ceremony.
"If they care about what’s actually going on, great. Be here," she said. "If they’re just here for political clout, that upsets me."
After the ground zero event, Biden and Harris planned to attend ceremonies in Pennsylvania and at the Pentagon, the other sites where planes crashed on September 11, 2001.
Trump was also scheduled to visit the Flight 93 National Memorial in Shanksville, Pennsylvania.
The 9/11 attacks, carried out by 19 men, mostly from Saudi Arabia, left 2,977 people dead and caused lasting trauma for survivors and relatives.
The attacks led to significant changes in U.S. foreign policy and security measures, and the U.S. launched a "Global War on Terrorism," including wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. These conflicts resulted in hundreds of thousands of deaths and shaped global events for decades.
The anniversary is now marked by a range of remembrance activities across the U.S., from flag displays to volunteer projects, with Congress recognizing the day as both Patriot Day and a National Day of Service and Remembrance.
At ground zero, previous anniversaries included politicians reading poetry and significant historical texts, but in 2012, the National September 11 Memorial and Museum limited the ceremony to relatives reading the names of victims.
However, politicians continue to attend the event.
In 2008, presidential candidates John McCain and Barack Obama visited ground zero together, setting politics aside to pay their respects.
In 2016, the remembrance became politically charged when Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton abruptly left the ceremony due to illness, sparking a debate over her health after a pneumonia diagnosis.
Some relatives have used the platform at the ceremony to share political messages, expressing concerns over national security or criticizing political figures.
However, most readers focus on personal tributes, with many young adults now remembering relatives who died in the attacks before they were born.
