Politics
Trump statements regarding 9/11 response lack supporting evidence, fact-checkers say
Fact-checkers found no evidence supporting Donald Trump's claims about aiding Ground Zero recovery, according to PBS NewsHour.
The short version
- Donald Trump stated that he visited Ground Zero the day after the 2001 attacks and claimed firefighters carried him to safety when a nearby building was feared collapsing.[PBS NewsHour]
- Fact-checkers reported no evidence that Trump brought hundreds of workers to Ground Zero, and the earliest recorded sighting of him there is from September 13, 2001.[PBS NewsHour]
- Trump rejected a report alleging he skipped a New York memorial because he could not deliver an address.[PBS NewsHour]
Key facts
- Donald Trump claimed he visited Ground Zero the day after September 11 with construction workers.[PBS NewsHour]
- Trump stated that firefighters physically lifted and carried him away over concerns that One Liberty Plaza might collapse.[PBS NewsHour]
- Fact-checkers found no documentation indicating Trump provided hundreds of laborers to support the Ground Zero response.[PBS NewsHour]
- The earliest visual record locating Trump near Ground Zero is dated September 13, 2001.[PBS NewsHour]
- Former FDNY battalion chief Richard Alles indicated he had no knowledge of Trump presence or worker contingents at the site.[PBS NewsHour]
What remains uncertain
- A report that Trump chose to skip a New York memorial because he was denied a speaking slot remains disputed by Trump.[PBS NewsHour]
Sources
Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.
- Fact-checking Trump's stories about his own 9/11 responsePBS NewsHour - Politics