'99 percent': Trump says he could have spoken at NYC 9/11 event despite ban

ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA: President Donald Trump reportedly opted to attend the Pentagon's 9/11 memorial ceremony instead of the NYC event due to a speech ban at the New York ceremony marking the 25th anniversary of the horrifying attacks. He said he could have spoken at NYC if he had wanted to.

There is a long-standing ban on political speeches at the Ground Zero 9/11 memorial ceremony in New York City.

The ban was established in 2012 by the National September 11 Memorial & Museum to keep the annual commemoration strictly focused on the victims, nonpartisan, and free of political theater.

Trump says he could have spoken at NYC 9/11 despite ban

President Trump on Friday, September 11, said he’s “99 percent” sure he could have given a speech at the New York City 9/11 ceremony if he wanted to. He also pushed back on reports that said he didn’t attend because he wouldn’t be able to give a speech.

“It’s just not true. I didn’t demand to speak,” he told Sid Rosenberg on 77 WABC on Friday.

“I’m sure if I wanted to speak, they would have let me,” he said, adding that he’s president and he knows “the guys down there.”

“I am 99 percent sure,” he continued.

The New York Times reported last month that the president’s team told the organizers of New York City’s ceremony that he would like to speak.

Trump joked that “I speak enough. The last thing I want to do is speak.”

“I don’t need it for any reason,” he added.

The United States is marking the 25th anniversary of the September 11, 2001, attacks, when a group of hijackers flew airplanes into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, while a fourth hijacked plane crashed near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, after passengers fought back, killing nearly 3,000 people total.

Trump slams reporter

President Trump singled out the outlet’s Maggie Haberman, who was one of the reporters behind the report. In a Truth Social post last month, Trump railed against the report, calling it “Corrupt News.”

“I’ve been to New York many times over the years, and no one ever speaks, it’s a ‘solemn ceremony!’” he wrote.

Trump instead attended and gave a speech at the 9/11 ceremony at the Pentagon, while Vice President Vance attended the New York City memorial service.

Some presidents in the past visited all three sites: New York City; Arlington, Va, for the Pentagon; and Shanksville, Pa, for United Airlines Flight 93.

These included former President Biden in 2021 for the 20th anniversary, former President Obama in 2011 for the 10th anniversary and former President George W Bush on the first and fifth anniversaries.