Trump opens 9/11 remembrance week with World Trade Centre steel beam tribute

Donald Trump joined first responders at the Ellipse to honour 9/11 victims and heroes. The ceremony opened a wider week of remembrance centred on sacrifice, resilience and national memory.Image used for representational purposes onlyPresident Donald Trump on Tuesday honoured the victims of the September 11, 2001 attacks, saying the United States would "never forget" a day he described as "etched forever into the memories of Americans". His appearance at the Ellipse outside the White House marked the start of a week of commemorations that will culminate in several events on Friday, including one at the Pentagon that he will attend.The event, led by the Tunnel to Towers Foundation, featured a 21-foot steel beam weighing nearly 17,000 pounds that was recovered from the South Tower of the World Trade Centre in New York. The beam has travelled across the country for months as part of the Steel Across America tour, and will move through New York in a procession on Friday, retracing the steps of fallen New York City firefighter Stephen Siller.Referring to the beam on display, Trump said, "This battered piece of steel here today on the Ellipse is a reminder that America is blessed with a strength no fire can consume, no evil can conquer and no terror can destroy." He also said the September 11 attacks were one of the few moments in history that "divide time into really what came before" and after. His remarks briefly turned political as he warned of people turning a "communistic way".Trump paid particular tribute to Jeffrey Palazzo, a New York City firefighter, and Welles Crowther, the young equities trader remembered as the "man in the red bandanna" for rescuing several people during the attacks. He said the US Coast Guard would commission a new fast-response cutter in New York this weekend in honour of Palazzo, a Coast Guard reservist who was working out of Staten Island's Rescue Squad 5 when he responded to the attacks 25 years ago. Trump also awarded Crowther the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the country's highest civilian honour, which was accepted by Crowther's mother, Alison, and sister, Paige. Among those present were Cabinet officials, members of Congress, and about 150 first responders from New York, along with some from Washington and Pennsylvania, Trump said. Those attending included Republican Representatives Mike Lawler of New York and Dan Meuser, whose Pennsylvania district is near Shanksville, where Flight 93 crashed on September 11, 2001. Trump also praised Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, who was chairman and chief executive of Cantor Fitzgerald when the firm was based at the World Trade Centre and lost his younger brother Gary and more than 650 employees in the attacks. "He's done an amazing job," Trump said. "He's rebuilt Cantor Fitzgerald, and he's given much of the profits to some of the families or the families of people who perished."Frank Siller, chairman and chief executive of the Tunnel to Towers Foundation and brother of Stephen Siller, said, "This steel beam represents the best of our country." He added, "It's important to recognise that the heroism that was exhibited that fateful day was nothing short of incredible." The ceremony brought together tributes to the victims, recognition for those who responded that day, and the start of a wider week of remembrance. With PTI Inputs- EndsPublished By: India Today Web Desk Published On: Sep 8, 2026 22:34 IST