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Former and incumbent presidents emphasize ‘unity’ on the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks… Trump criticizes Biden

A New York Police Bagpipe Team holds an American flag at the World Trade Center during a ceremony to mark the 20th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks at the World Trade Center site in New York City, USA on September 11, 2021. © Reuters=News1 © News1 Correspondent Kim Hyun

On the 11th (local time) on the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, large-scale commemoration events were held across the United States, and former and current US presidents, including President Joe Biden, sent messages emphasizing the unity of the United States while commemorating the victims. did.

As the 20-year war in Afghanistan, which was officially triggered by the 9/11 attacks, ended with the completion of the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan on August 30, this year’s memorial ceremony became even more meaningful.

The commemoration ceremony was held in three locations: Ground Zero, where the World Trade Center was located in New York, USA, the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, and Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

At each event site, bells were rang and the names of the victims were read one by one, and the people who attended paid tribute in silence.

A total of six silence events were held that day. At 8:46 a.m., the terrorists crashed the 93rd to 99th floors of the North Building of the World Trade Center at 8:46 a.m., the 77th to 85th floors of the South Tower at 9:03 a.m., a plane crashed into the Pentagon at 9:37 a.m., the world At 9:59 a.m., when the South Tower of the Trade Center collapsed, and at 10:03 a.m. when the plane crashed in Pennsylvania after passengers on a hijacked plane to attack the Capitol attacked the terrorists, the building north of the World Trade Center collapsed. 10:28 a.m., etc.

Former US President Bill Clinton, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama stand with US President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden as they attend a ceremony to mark the 20th anniversary of the 2001 911 attacks. © Reuters=News1 © News1 Correspondent Kim Hyun

US President Joe Biden and his wife Jill Biden attended a memorial service at Ground Zero this morning. Former President Barack Obama and former President Bill Clinton attended the ceremony.

President Biden and others stood together with the attendees and participated in the event without a separate seat. As the names of the victims were read, they bowed their heads in prayer and even wiped their tears for a moment, foreign media reported.

President Biden then visited Shanksville, Pennsylvania to pay a wreath, followed by a visit to the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, visiting all three memorials.

Bush and former President George W. Bush, who were in office at the time of the 9/11 attacks, also attended the event in Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

However, former President Donald Trump did not attend the memorial service held at three memorial sites on the same day, but instead visited New York’s police and fire stations this afternoon.

Most of the current and former presidents, including President Biden, have emphasized the unity and unity of the American people while commemorating the victims through messages.

President Joe Biden celebrated the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks by visiting three terrorist sites without a separate speech on the same day.

White House press secretary Jen Saki told reporters at the White House the day before (10th) why President Biden did not give a separate speech at the three commemorative sites, saying, “It has shocked millions of people across the country and many people in the area. Because I felt it was important to visit to commemorate the sacrifice on that day.”

“On 9/11 we saw heroic acts everywhere,” Biden said in a pre-recorded video the day before the anniversary.

“We learned that unity is the only thing that must never be broken. Unity is what makes us who we are and what makes America the best,” he said. “For me, that is the most important lesson of 9/11.”

Former U.S. President George W. Bush attends a ceremony to mark the 20th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks at the Flight 93 National Memorial in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, on September 11, 2021 (local time). © Reuters=News1 © News1 Correspondent Kim Hyun

Former President Bush, who was in office at the time of the 9/11 attacks, said, “I am proud to lead an amazing, resilient and united people in the months following 9/11.” Those days seem to have distanced us from ourselves. There seems to be a vicious force at work in our daily lives that turns every difference of opinion into an argument and every argument into a clash of cultures.”

“A lot of our politics has become a blatant appeal to anger, fear and resentment, which makes us worry together about our country and our future,” he said. Instinctively, I saw neighbors holding hands and uniting for each other’s cause. That’s the America I know.”

The crowd at the scene applauded several times for former President Bush’s speech. President Biden also called it “really good speech” at a meeting with reporters in Shanksville.

“One thing that has become clear since 9/11 is that America has always been home to heroes running to danger to do the right thing,” Obama said in a statement posted on Facebook. “It reminded me of how many Americans sacrifice themselves in special ways every day, not just in moments of great crisis. Let’s never forget that, and let’s not take them for granted.”

“America will never forget those who lost their lives, those who risked or gave their lives to save others, and those whose lives were forever changed 20 years ago,” Clinton tweeted. , we must unite with sympathy and determination.

Former U.S. President Donald Trump speaks with police officers at a police station in New York on the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks on the 11th (local time). © News 1 (video capture)

On the other hand, former President Trump did not appear at the memorial service on the same day, focusing on accusing President Biden all day.

Former President Trump visited New York police and fire stations this afternoon to pay tribute to the officers and firefighters who were dedicated to the 9/11 attacks, and then slammed Biden’s chaotic response to the process of withdrawing troops from Afghanistan.

“We surrendered (in Afghanistan). We can’t let that happen because the blemish on our country (this time) is worse than any blemish we’ve ever seen. It’s a shame,” he said.

Earlier on the morning of the same day, former President Trump said in a 1:44 video speech message shared by his political committee, Save America, that “our country’s leader has made you look like an idiot.” “It should never be tolerated.” He said, “It was caused by bad plans and incredible weakness, and by leaders who don’t really understand what happened,” he said, directing President Biden and his administration.

The commemoration ceremony ended with ‘Tribute in Light’, which started at 7:11 pm. Two lights representing the World Trade Center building are projected into the sky. This pillar of light symbolizes ‘the spirit of honoring the victims’.

gayunlove@news1.kr