Trump says he WILL visit Ground Zero to mark 20th anniversary of 9/11 – after Biden leaves

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Donald Trump has marked the beginning of the 20th anniversary of 9/11 by tearing into Joe Biden over his Afghanistan withdrawal and telling his supporters ‘do not fear, America will be made great again’.

Trump released a video message Saturday morning speaking only briefly about the terrorist attacks that killed almost 3,000 Americans on September 11 2001 – instead slamming his successor for his ‘bad planning’ and ‘incredible weakness’ in pulling troops out of Afghanistan.

The former president, who did not attend any of the official 9/11 memorial ceremonies, said the US ‘will struggle to recover from the embarrassment this incompetence has caused.’ 

‘We will live on, but sadly, our country will be wounded for a long period of time, we will struggle to recover from the embarrassment this incompetence has caused,’ he said. 

‘Do not fear, however, America will be made great again.’ 

The video was sent by Trump’s Save America PAC in an email titled ‘NEW: 20th Anniversary of September 11th Address from President Donald J. Trump.’  

Its release comes after Trump said he will visit Ground Zero Saturday to mark the 20th anniversary – but only after Biden leaves and before he heads to host a boxing match in Florida.  

He is the only surviving US president not to attend one of the official ceremonies. 

Trump spoke only briefly at the start of the video statement about the ‘great sorrow’ caused by the horrific day where terrorists carried out four coordinated attacks striking the World Trade Center in New York, the Pentagon and the fourth plane crashing in a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

‘For the great people of our country, this is a very sad day. September 11th represents great sorrow for our country,’ he said. 

‘Many things were displayed that day, including, most importantly, the bravery of our police, fire and first responders of every kind. 

‘The job they did was truly unbelievable. We love them and we thank them.’

The former president then launched into his attack on Biden.

‘It is also a sad time for the way our war on those that did so much harm to our country ended last week.

‘The loss of 13 great warriors and the many more who were wounded should never have happened,’ he said, a reference to the 13 US troops killed in a suicide bomb in Kabul in August during the evacuation from Afghanistan.

‘Overall, two hundred and fifty people were killed in Afghanistan last week and so many more were seriously injured,’ Trump continued. 

‘We had $85billion dollars of the finest and most sophisticated military equipment taken from us without even a shot being fired.’ 

Trump continued by tearing into Biden as a ‘fool’ whose administration ‘admitted defeat.’

‘The leader of our country was made to look like a fool, and that can never be allowed to happen,’ he said. 

‘It was caused by bad planning, incredible weakness, and leaders who truly didn’t understand what was happening.’

Trump said the anniversary should be a time of ‘honor and strength’ but, instead, said Biden had caused the nation ’embarrassment.’ 

‘This is the 20th year of this war and should have been a year of victory and honor and strength,’ he said.

‘Instead, Joe Biden and his inept administration surrendered in defeat. 

‘We will live on, but sadly, our country will be wounded for a long period of time, we will struggle to recover from the embarrassment this incompetence has caused. 

‘Do not fear, however, America will be made great again.’

Trump has repeatedly laid into Biden over the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan last month.

Trump signed a peace deal with the Taliban in 2020, agreeing to pull all US troops out of the country by May 2021. 

Biden pushed the deadline back first to September 11, before bringing it forward to August 31. 

The withdrawal was turbulent with 13 American troops and dozens of Afghans killed in the Kabul suicide attack, while the Taliban has regained control of the country.  

Later Saturday morning, Trump sent out a statement complimenting Rudy Giuliani. 

‘Congratulations to Rudy Giuliani (for the 20th time!), the greatest Mayor in the history of New York City, for having shown such leadership and doing such an incredible job during and after the attack on our Nation!’ Trump said. 

Giuliani was mayor of New York City on 9/11 and was also Trump’s personal attorney who pushed the false claims that the 2020 election was ‘stolen.’ 

He attended the New York City memorial ceremony Saturday.

Trump told Fox News Friday he would travel to Manhattan, New York City, Saturday to pay his respects at the site of the World Trade Center.    

He was expected to visit Ground Zero at around 1:30pm, local law enforcement officials told the New Jersey Globe, after being informed of the plans by the Secret Service.

This timing meant Trump avoided any chance of bumping into his successor as Biden departed New York earlier to attend ceremonies in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, and the Pentagon.

On the 10th anniversary of the attacks in 2011, Republican President George W. Bush joined his successor Democratic President Barack Obama at the New York ceremony. 

Biden flew into New York Friday night for the official 9/11 memorial ceremony at Ground Zero Saturday morning, which began 8:30am.  

He was joined by former presidents Obama and Bill Clinton at the ceremony. 

Survivors and family members of victims also gathered at the memorial where the Twin Towers once stood.

The names of each victim were read out in the ceremony, which lasted several hours.   

There were six moments of silence during the ceremony – marking the moment each tower was struck by the hijacked airplanes, the time both the South and the North Towers fell, the moment the Pentagon was struck by the third hijacked plane and the moment Flight 93 crashed in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, after passengers tried to take it back from the terrorists on route to the capital. 

Among the others in attendance at Ground Zero were: Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer and New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand.   

Meanwhile, Bush, who was less than a year into his presidency when the September 11 terrorist attacks took place, attended the ceremony in Pennsylvania where Flight 93 crashed.  

The ceremony at the Flight 93 National Memorial in Shanksville began at 9:45am with Bush delivering a speech where he condemned ‘violent extremists abroad and violent extremists at home,’ calling them ‘children of the same foul spirit.’ 

Bush also used his address to tell veterans and servicemembers that their sacrifices in the War on Terror weren’t for nothing and pushed the nation to display the same sort of unity that was present in the days after September 11 2001. 

‘We have seen growing evidence that the dangers to our country can come not only across borders but from violence that gathers within,’ he said.

The former president said there is ‘little cultural overlap between violent extremists abroad and violent extremists at home’ except for their ‘disregard of human life.’ 

‘In their determination to defile national symbols they are children of the same foul spirit and it is our continuing duty to confront them,’ Bush said – an apparent reference to both the 9/11 hijackers and the January 6 Capitol rioters.  

At 10.03am – the moment Flight 93 crashed – the names of the passengers and crew members were read out.  

The former Republican president was joined by Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris, who called on Americans to remember the ‘unity’ that came out of the tragedy two decades ago. 

The vice president said such unity is ‘essential to our shared prosperity, our national security, and to our standing in the world.’

‘On the days that followed September 11th, 2001, we were all reminded that unity is possible in America. We were reminded, too, that unity is imperative in America. 

‘It is essential to our shared prosperity, our national security, and to our standing in the world,’ Harris said.   

Biden left New York around 10am to head to Shanksville for a wreath-laying ceremony. 

He is then headed to the Pentagon, as he will visit all three sites where the terrorist attacks took place. 

Trump, meanwhile, had been tightlipped on his plans to mark two decades on from the horrific day that changed the world.  

He did however make plans to host a boxing match between Evander Holyfield and Vitor Belfort in Hollywood, Florida, Saturday night. 

The match will take place at The Seminole Hard Rock Casino on Saturday, and is being touted ‘The Most Anticipated Heavyweight Fight of The Year.’

Donald Trump Jr. will be joining his father there.

Trump faced a backlash over his decision to take part in the match on September 11. 

His estranged niece Mary Trump called it ‘disgraceful’ on CNN Thursday.

‘Disgraceful isn’t a strong enough word,’ she said. 

The Lincoln Project – a political action committee formed by Republicans – highlighted the differences between his and Biden’s plans. 

‘President Joe Biden will travel to all three sites of the terrorist attacks – New York City, Shanksville, PA, and the Pentagon,’ it tweeted.

‘President Donald Trump will travel to a casino in Florida to offer commentary at a boxing match.’