President Donald Trump has reportedly pulled out of attending the 25th anniversary ceremony of the 9/11 attacks at Ground Zero in New York City because he was not allowed to deliver a speech.
The US President, a New York native who has attended 9/11 memorials in the past, will instead go to a ceremony at the Pentagon, which he also did last year. Trump reportedly wanted to speak at The National September 11 Memorial and Museum on the anniversary and had his team visit the site ahead of the event. Despite this, the President was allegedly told he would not be able to give a speech at the ceremony.
Pentagon ceremony planned instead
Sources from the museum, which has banned politicians speaking at 9/11 anniversary events, have reportedly said they want to ban any form of partisanship at the events, according to the New York Times.
Trump will instead attend a ceremony at the Pentagon, for the second year in a row, and Vice President JD Vance is set to be in attendance at Ground Zero.
Former presidents expected at Ground Zero
Several former presidents are expected to attend the New York ceremony, including Barack Obama, Bill Clinton and George W Bush. Trump is due to fly out to Ireland the day after the 9/11 anniversary for the Irish Open tournament.
The US President will be in Ireland on September 12 and 13, which coincide with the final two days of the Open at his own golf course, the Trump International Golf Links and Hotel, in Doonbeg, County Clare.
Previous ceremony speech
Trump made a speech at the 9/11 ceremony at the Pentagon last year, which he attended with his wife Melania Trump. At the 2025 ceremony, the President said: "We will defend the nation they served, the values they upheld and the freedom for which they died.
"We will support our troops, we will protect our families, and we will preserve the American way of life for every future generation. We will build taller, grow stronger, fight harder and soar higher, and together we will go forward as one people with one heart, one faith, one flag and one glorious destiny under almighty God."
Trump last attended a 9/11 anniversary event at Ground Zero back in 2024, when he was the Republican presidential candidate. He attended with JD Vance and Trump was snapped having a very awkward handshake with Kamala Harris.
Harris, the US Vice President at the time, had met following a heated debate ahead of the election two months later. The Mirror has reached out to the White House for comment.
