Former President Donald Trump has once again drawn scrutiny over his recollections of the September 11 attacks, sharing dramatic new details about his presence at Ground Zero during recent events marking the tragedy’s anniversary. In an interview with Fox News and a subsequent appearance at a memorial event, Trump claimed he arrived at the scene almost immediately after the attacks to lead recovery efforts. Most notably, he described a harrowing moment where two firefighters had to physically lift him and carry him away from One Liberty Plaza because they feared the building was about to collapse.
While historical records confirm that One Liberty Plaza did cause alarm among nearby officials and led to evacuations of surrounding buildings like the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, there is little evidence to support Trump’s personal account. Despite his claims of being swept away by first responders, no contemporary reports or witness testimonies place him inside that specific danger zone during those moments. Instead, early sightings of Trump near the site date back to September 13, where reporters noted he appeared impeccably dressed in a black suit while greeting officers and volunteers.
The discrepancies extend beyond his narrow escape to his broader contributions to the cleanup. For years, Trump has asserted that he deployed hundreds of his own construction workers to assist in the grueling recovery process. However, investigations by various fact checkers have failed to find any official record of such a deployment. A former FDNY battalion chief stated that every person working on the pile operated under strict police and fire department supervision, noting that there should be a paper trail for a group of 100 workers that simply does not exist.
Despite these gaps in documentation, supporters including former NYPD Commissioner Bernard Kerik have defended the former president, suggesting he visited the site frequently without press accompaniment to motivate workers. As administrators prepare for upcoming ceremonies, Trump continues to push back against critical media coverage regarding his involvement and his decisions on which memorials to attend, maintaining that his actions were driven by a desire to honor victims rather than seek political attention.
