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Biden, Harris, Trump, Vance appear together at 9/11 memorial ceremony in New York City

Harris, Trump shake hands at 9/11 commemoration
Harris, Trump shake hands at 9/11 commemoration 03:35

President Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, former President Donald Trump and his running mate, Sen. JD Vance of Ohio, all stood together at the memorial in New York City for victims of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks

Standing in the same row at the ceremony were Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Mr. Biden, Harris, Michael Bloomberg, Trump, Vance and former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani. Giuliani, now a close Trump ally, was mayor at the time of the attack, and Bloomberg was elected mayor in November 2001. 

Harris and Trump were fresh off their contentious debate on Tuesday night in Philadelphia, where they traded barbs over immigration, abortion, the economy, foreign policy and more. It's unclear if there will be another debate.

Harris and Trump shook hands before the ceremony. Trump was asked on Fox & Friends ahead of the ceremony if he'd speak to Harris at the memorial.  

"Oh, I don't know," he replied. "I'm not sure." 

APTOPIX Sept 11 Anniversary
From left, Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris, President Joe Biden, Michael Bloomberg, Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump and Republican vice presidential nominee Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, attend the 9/11 Memorial ceremony on the 23rd anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks, Wednesday, Sept. 11, 2024, in New York. Yuki Iwamura / AP

The names of the 2,983 victims of the terrorist attacks at the 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, aboard Flight 93 and in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing are read aloud by family members of the victims. 

Citywide moments of silence take place at 8:46 a.m. marking the moment when hijacked Flight 11 struck the North Tower, and 9:03 a.m., when hijacked Flight 175 struck the South Tower. Another moment of silence followed at 9:37 a.m., the time when hijacked Flight 77 struck the Pentagon.

Mr. Biden, Harris and Trump then traveled to Shanksville, Pennsylvania, where United Flight 93 crashed on Sept. 11, 2001. Mr. Biden and Harris participated in a wreath-laying ceremony at the Flight 93 National Memorial, and Mr. Biden and Harris met privately with members of the Shanksville Volunteer Fire Department. The White House said Mr. Biden brought beer and pizza to the department. 

After the ceremony at Ground Zero, Trump and Vance visited Engine Company 4, Ladder Company 15 in downtown Manhattan. Vance also visited the BGC trading floor, which is part of Cantor Fitzgerald. The global financial firm had more than 650 employees killed in the Sept. 11 attacks.

Trump thean headed to Shanksville, with his son Eric and several campaign staffers. They visited the United 93 memorial as well, then went to the fire department. 

New York commemorates the 23rd anniversary of the September 11 attacks
Republican presidential nominee and former U.S. President Donald Trump shakes hands with Democratic presidential nominee and Vice President Kamala Harris on the day of a ceremony marking the 23rd anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the World Trade Center at the 9/11 Memorial and Museum in the Manhattan borough of New York City, September 11, 2024. Mike Segar / REUTERS
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