This year marks the 25th anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks. While a major ceremony will be held at Ground Zero in New York City to commemorate the tragic anniversary, President Donald Trump will not be in attendance. According to a new report, the reason behind his absence has raised eyebrows—and Trump has now addressed the situation.

President Trump is not expected to attend the 25th anniversary ceremony at Ground Zero on September 11. Instead, he is expected to commemorate the solemn occasion at the Pentagon.

Trump has attended the 9/11 remembrance ceremony in Manhattan in the past, most recently in 2024 and previously in 2016. Last year, after participating in the ceremony at the Pentagon, Trump traveled to New York, where he attended a Yankees game at Yankee Stadium.

Still, his decision to stay away from the Ground Zero ceremony this year has attracted attention, particularly given his status as a native New Yorker and his long-standing claims of having a personal connection to the city and the events of September 11.

According to reports, Trump had initially planned to attend the ceremony in New York. However, a disagreement over his role at the event may have changed those plans.

The New York Times reported that Trump wanted to deliver a speech during the ceremony but was not permitted to do so. That reported decision appears to have played a key role in his choice to commemorate the anniversary at the Pentagon instead.

Now, Trump has broken his silence on the controversy surrounding his absence.

Trump’s team had initially discussed plans for the president to travel to New York City to mark the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. According to sources cited by CNN, the early plan was for Trump to attend the memorial ceremony at Ground Zero.

However, those plans reportedly changed after Trump told his team that he wanted to deliver a speech during the event.

The National September 11 Memorial and Museum, which oversees the site and organizes the annual ceremony, has not allowed politicians to speak at the event since 2012. The organization has repeatedly emphasized its commitment to keeping the ceremony nonpartisan.

In a statement, the organization noted that elected officials from both political parties have attended the solemn occasion over the years and said every living U.S. president, including Trump, has been welcomed at the ceremony.

“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,” the organization said.

According to CNN sources, the decision not to allow Trump to speak ultimately became a factor in his plans to commemorate the anniversary elsewhere.

The reports quickly sparked questions about why Trump would no longer attend the Ground Zero ceremony—and it didn’t take long for the White House and Trump himself to respond.

White House principal deputy press secretary Anna Kelly also pushed back on the reports, telling Fox that Trump remains a “proud New Yorker.”

Trump Breaks His Silence
“President Trump has spoken about his own experiences watching the horrific events of September 11, 2001,” Kelly said in a statement. “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 himself also addressed the reports on Truth Social, dismissing them as a “made up story.”

The president took aim at the New York Times reporter behind the story, accusing her of falsely claiming that he would skip the World Trade Center ceremony because he was not allowed to deliver a speech.

“This is more Corrupt News,” Trump wrote, arguing that he has attended events in New York many times over the years and pointing out that no one typically speaks during the 9/11 ceremony because it is intended to be a “solemn ceremony.”

Trump went on to say that he would actually prefer not to speak on the occasion, explaining that the anniversary should instead focus on remembering those who lost their lives and honoring their families.

“I would love not to speak, because I’m speaking all the time, and this is a day to remember the victims, and their beautiful family members,” Trump said.

With Trump expected to commemorate the anniversary at the Pentagon instead, Vice President JD Vance is expected to represent the Trump administration at the ceremony in New York.