President Trump observed the anniversary of Sept. 11 at a memorial service Tuesday in Shanksville, Pa., where he praised the “spirit” of the 40 passengers and crew members who died trying to stop hijackers from redirecting Flight 93 toward Washington that fateful day.
“Seventeen years ago, 40 incredible men and women showed the whole world that no force on earth will ever conquer the American spirit,” the president said in remarks, recounting the events that unfolded aboard the Boeing 757 shortly after the World Trade Center was attacked.
“They took their fate and America’s fate back into their own hands. In the last 20 minutes, many placed their final calls home whispering those eternal words: I love you. Some said the Lord’s prayer, and then they bravely charged the cockpit. They attacked the enemy. They fought until the very end, and they stopped the forces of terror and defeated this wicked. horrible, evil plan,” Trump told the crowd, adding that “a piece of America’s heart is buried on these grounds, but in its place has grown a new resolve to live our lives with the same grace and courage as the heroes of Flight 93.”
Hundreds of family members and relatives of the victims attended the ceremony on Tuesday, where the president was joined by his wife, Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke, current and former Pennsylvania Govs. Tom Wolf and Mark Schweiker, and several law enforcement officials.
The memorial was held just yards away from the crash site, where all 44 people, including the four hijackers, were killed on Sept. 11, 2001.
[Also read: Ex-Transportation secretary recalls a chaotic scene at the White House on 9/11]
Trump said Americans today mourn with the families of those who lost their loved ones in the terror attacks and “honor their sacrifice by pledging to never flinch in the face of evil and to do whatever it takes to keep America safe.”
“Today, all of America wraps up and joins together. We close our arms to help you shoulder your pain and to carry your great, great sorrow … We grieve together for every mother and father, sister and brother, son and daughter, who was stolen from us at the Twin Towers, the Pentagon, and here in this Pennsylvania field,” he said.
The president spoke as Vice President Mike Pence and Defense Secretary Jim Mattis attended a separate
ceremony at the Pentagon, where 184 people were killed on Sept. 11 after a plane crashed into the country’s military command.
Trump is expected to keep a quiet schedule following his remarks in Shanksville. He will return to Washington for meetings with Mattis and FEMA officials who are currently preparing for Hurricane Florence, which is expected to make landfall on the East Coast later this week.
