Trump isn't planning to be in New York for 9/11 anniversary

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump is not expected to attend the 9/11 memorial ceremony in lower Manhattan next month, but will instead be at the Pentagon to mark the 25th anniversary of the attacks, according to a source familiar with his plans for the day.

Vice President JD Vance is expected to attend the memorial service at the National September 11 Memorial & Museum in lower Manhattan, and top administration officials will be present at all three memorial sites, including the annual ceremony in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, according to a White House source.

White House spokesperson Anna Kelly, in a statement to Newsday, did not indicate why Trump chose the Pentagon as his primary site to mark the anniversary of the attacks.

"As a proud New Yorker, President Trump has spoken about his own experiences watching the horrific events of Sept. 11, 2001," Kelly said. "On the 25th anniversary of this tragic day, the President will remember those who were killed at the hands of evil terrorists, honor their loved ones and pay tribute to the brave first responders who put their lives on the line to rescue their fellow Americans."

Trump's travel schedule may have been a factor in selecting the Pentagon, as he is scheduled to attend a Republican convention in Dallas on Sept. 9 and 10 and is expected to travel to Doonbeg, Ireland, on Sept. 12 to attend the Irish Open golf tournament that his golf club there will host.

The New York Times on Thursday reported that Trump was initially considering attending the Manhattan ceremony but opted against the site because he would not be allowed to deliver a speech. Since 2012, after receiving input from victim families, organizers of the lower Manhattan ceremony have barred elected officials from giving speeches at the event, to keep the focus on the victims and their families.

"For more than a decade, the ceremony at Ground Zero has featured only family members solemnly reading the names of their loved ones," the 9/11 museum said in a statement on Friday. "Elected officials of both parties have borne witness to this solemn occasion over the years, and we have been honored that every living President, including President Trump, has attended. Of course, President Trump is always welcome."

Trump last attended the Ground Zero ceremony in 2024, in the final leg of his election campaign. He attended with Vance, with both sitting in the same row as President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. 

Trump has traditionally attended only one of the three ceremonies each year he has been in office, but his predecessors chose milestone anniversaries to travel to all three sites on the same day. President Barack Obama marked the 10th anniversary of the attacks by attending all three remembrance ceremonies, and Biden did the same in 2021 to mark the 20th anniversary.

By Laura Figueroa Hernandez

laura.figueroa@newsday.com@Laura_Figueroa

Laura Figueroa Hernandez is the White House correspondent and previously covered New York City politics and government. She joined Newsday in 2012 after covering state and local politics for The Miami Herald.