Photo: Michael M. Santiago / Getty Images News / Getty Images
President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, former President Donald Trump, and Senator JD Vance of Ohio attended the 23rd anniversary of the September 11 attacks at the memorial in New York City on Wednesday (September 11) morning. The leaders stood together, putting political hostilities aside as the nation remembered the tragedy. The ceremony was also attended by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and former New York Mayors Michael Bloomberg and Rudy Giuliani.
The names of the 2,983 victims of the terrorist attacks were read aloud by family members. Moments of silence were observed at 8:46 a.m., 9:03 a.m., and 9:37 a.m., marking the times when the hijacked flights struck the North Tower, South Tower, and the Pentagon, respectively.
Following the ceremony in New York, President Biden, Vice President Harris, and former President Trump all planned to travel to Shanksville, Pennsylvania, where United Flight 93 crashed on September 11, 2001. Biden and Harris were expected to participate in a wreath-laying ceremony at the Flight 93 National Memorial, while Trump was also expected to be at the United Flight 93 Memorial for a private wreath-laying ceremony.
The ceremony came just hours after a contentious debate between Harris and Trump in Philadelphia, where they clashed over issues such as immigration, abortion, the economy, and foreign policy. Despite the recent political tensions, the leaders managed to put aside their differences for the solemn occasion.