President Trump honors 9/11 victims, first responders at 25th anniversary ceremony in DC
WASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 08: U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a "Steel Across America" event ahead of the 25th anniversary of the September 11th attacks on the Ellipse near the White House on September 08, 2026 in Washington, DC. President
WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump joined first responders and families on the Ellipse Tuesday for a special event to remember the 25th anniversary of the September 11 terror attacks.
What we know:
At the center of the event was a huge piece of steel that was pulled from the South Tower. It sat as a symbol that the president said was a testament to our courage and resilience, showing just how far this country has come.
"When we see this steel, we’re reminded that no matter what threat or challenge comes our way, nothing can keep our country down; our country is the strongest it’s ever been before," President Trump said Tuesday.
The 21-foot steel beam, which weighs nearly 17,000 pounds, has traveled more than 10,000 miles across the country as part of the Tunnel to Towers Foundation’s "Steel Across America" tour.
About 150 first responders from New York, D.C., and Pennsylvania were among those gathered in the Ellipse Tuesday.
The President also honored two men who died on 9/11: Firefighter Jeffrey Palazzo and Welles Crowther, a 24-year-old Wall Street trader, known as the man in the red bandanna, who helped rescue people from the South Tower.
The President posthumously awarded Crowther the Presidential Medal of Freedom. His mother and sister accepted the honor.
Just a few blocks away, the Justice Department held its own memorial to honor the 3,000 people killed along with law enforcement officers and first responders who answered the call.
What's next:
Commemoration events will continue through Friday.
President Trump is expected to mark the anniversary by attending a ceremony at the Pentagon.
The steel beam will be sent to New York, where it will be a part of a procession retracing the steps of a fallen firefighter.
The Source: Information in this article is from original FOX 5 DC reporting.