Where Was Donald Trump On 9/11? US President Says, 'Watched Second Plane Hit...'

US President Donald Trump said he was at the World Trade Center site “shortly” after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, but acknowledged he was not there on the day the towers collapsed. Trump made the clarification on Truth Social after facing criticism over his account of his actions in the aftermath of the attacks.

At an event marking the 25th anniversary of 9/11, Trump had said two firefighters picked him up and carried him away near the US Steel Building because they feared it would collapse. He did not specify when the incident occurred.

Where Was Trump On 9/11?

Trump said he watched the second plane hit the South Tower from his Midtown apartment. Trump Tower was about four miles from Ground Zero. He said he went to Ground Zero on September 12, with construction workers. He said he worked there with construction workers.

His latest Truth Social post says he was not at the World Trade Center on the same day as the collapse, but went there “shortly thereafter”. White House spokesperson Davis Ingle said Trump was describing his experience of New York in the immediate aftermath and following days/weeks.

What Has Trump Said About His 9/11 Experience?

Trump has previously described visiting Ground Zero in the aftermath of the attacks. At a 2016 campaign rally in New Hampshire, he said two firefighters picked him up and carried him away because they feared a building would collapse. He repeated the account at an event ahead of the 25th anniversary of 9/11 on Tuesday, although he did not specify when the incident took place.

Trump has also previously claimed that he helped construction workers clear rubble at the site. In April 2016, he said he was there and “helped a little bit” as workers cleared the debris.

However, details of Trump's accounts of his activities around 9/11 have not been independently verified. His latest Truth Social post came after criticism over his presence at Ground Zero, with Trump insisting that he had visited the site as soon as he was legally able to do so.

In a post on X, the White House said, “On 9/11, nearly 3,000 precious souls were stolen from us, killed by evil terrorists. Years later, we gather on another Tuesday morning in September to reaffirm the sacred vow we made a quarter of a century ago: WE WILL NEVER FORGET.”

Trump posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Welles Crowther, the 24-year-old “Man in the Red Bandana” who gave his own life to save as many as 18 others in the South Tower on 9/11. The award was accepted by his mother Alison and sister Paige.