Trump repeats disputed 9/11 rescue claim as analysts call it a myth
At a ceremony on the White House Ellipse marking the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks, Trump recounted a story that two firefighters allegedly helped him out of the U.S. Steel Building after the attacks. Emergency‑service witnesses said they did not see him at the site, and his nephew Fred Trump said the account was offensive and inaccurate, noting Trump was in Trump Tower at the time. Analyst David Rothkopf described the claim as an unfounded hero myth.
Trump also posted the story on Truth Social and criticized journalist Maggie Haberman for questioning his Ground Zero visit. The event also included the presentation of the Presidential Medal of Freedom to the family of first‑responder Welles Crowther and the announcement of a Coast Guard cutter named for firefighter Jeffrey Palazzo.
How this was covered
- Right-leaning outlets covered this 27h later
- Right-leaning coverage is the most divided on this story
Why it matters
The episode illustrates how a president’s personal narrative about a national tragedy can influence public perception and fuel political controversy.
How this story developed
- Sep 7 Trump reiterates disputed 9/11 rescue claim as anniversary approaches
- Sep 8 Trump added the Medal of Freedom award for Welles Crowther and the cutter‑naming announcement to the memorial event.
- Sep 10 Construction of the 2 WTC tower, designed by Foster+Partners, began near the memorial, while Mayor Zohran Mamdani presided over the commemorative ceremony.
- Sep 10 The city is preparing its traditional memorial service at the former World Trade Center site, which normally includes six silent pauses for key moments of the attacks. This year a seventh pause will be added to honor the thousands who succumbed to illnesses linked to the disaster long after the event. Officials note that many first-responders and survivors continue to suffer health problems, and a long-term health program was created in 2011 to provide ongoing care. Retired police lieutenant Thomas Wilson, who worked at Ground Zero, is among those whose cancers have been attributed to the attacks.
- Sep 11 Groundbreaking for 2 World Trade Center took place during the annual memorial ceremony.
- Sep 11 The ceremony will feature a seventh silent moment for the first time.
- Sep 11 Analyst David Rothkopf labeled Trump’s 9/11 rescue claim a desperate hero myth.
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