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WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump paid tribute Tuesday to the victims of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and the first responders who answered the call during a ceremony on the Ellipse near the White House.
The event, attended by roughly 1,500 people, featured members of the Tunnel to Towers Foundation.
Speakers and attendees noted similarities between Tuesday’s weather and that on Sept. 11, 2001, with clear skies overhead during the ceremony.
Trump used the ceremony to honor those killed in the attacks and reflect on their lasting impact.
“All of these 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. We say it and we mean it – we will never forget,” Trump said.
A 21-foot, 16,900-pound steel beam recovered from the World Trade Center’s South Tower served as the centerpiece of the hourlong commemoration. It was surrounded by images of fallen first responders, including 343 members of the FDNY, 37 Port Authority police officers, 23 members of the NYPD, three New York State Court officers and the most recent addition to the list, a member of the FBI.
Frank Siller, chairman and CEO of the Tunnel to Towers Foundation, spoke about the organization’s commitment to honoring those who served.
“While we have time, let us do good. And I will say what we are doing is good. It is our responsibility. It is our honor. And it is our promise,” Siller said.
Retired FDNY Lt. Chris McArdle said the display of images of the fallen had a powerful impact.
“It’s like a gut punch. Because we are used to seeing the pictures like this, big, and now it’s in our face. Right here. And it makes it even more human now,” McArdle said.
Retired FDNY Capt. John Paluzzi recalled knowing some of those being honored.
“I actually knew a couple of these guys when we were training and stuff and you know, listen, I was here to carry on after and do the best I could in their memory,” Paluzzi said.
The event marked the 35th stop on the “Steel Across America” tour, which began in May and is scheduled to conclude Friday in Lower Manhattan.
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