Former President Donald Trump faced widespread criticism for his behavior during the September 11 memorial in New York City on Wednesday. His smiles and winks at the solemn event outraged attendees and onlookers, who found his demeanor disrespectful. The Republican presidential nominee’s actions during the 23rd-anniversary ceremony at Ground Zero were captured in a video shared by C-SPAN communications director Howard Mortman.
One attendee, visibly upset by Trump’s presence, confronted him directly, shouting, “Where were you for 20 years I’ve been here? Where were you?” Trump’s decision to attend this year’s memorial drew further attention, as he had skipped the event in 2021, despite the attendance of three former U.S. presidents, and had made headlines in 2019 by starting the day with tweets about unfavorable polls before heading to the Pentagon.
Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine expressed his disappointment over the behavior of Trump supporters at the event. “I’ve been coming to the 9/11 memorial for years. It has always been totally solemn and apolitical,” Levine wrote. “But this year Trump is here and there are people in the crowd screaming MAGA talking points.”
Ex-NBC Universal executive Mike Sington also shared his frustration, posting an image of Trump looking up into the sky during a moment of silence. Attendees like former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani and Vice President Kamala Harris bowed their heads, while Trump stood apart. “A moment of silence in honor of those lost on 9/11,” Sington commented. “Look at Trump.”
Michael C. Bender of The New York Times added to the criticism, reporting that Trump appeared unusually cheerful during parts of the ceremony. “As names of victims were read aloud,” Bender wrote, “Trump, who had been mostly stone-faced in the presence of Biden and Harris, flashed smiles at the crowd and alternated between a thumbs-up and a pointed index finger before he gathered his entourage and headed for the exit.” Geoff Garin, a pollster and former strategist for Hillary Clinton, echoed the sentiments of many, asking on social media, “What’s wrong with Trump?”
Comedian and podcaster Dana Goldberg was similarly shocked by Trump’s demeanor. “This isn’t Trump after a debate or one of his rallies, it’s him at the 9/11 memorial winking at female photographers,” she wrote. “He’s weird and gross.” Trump’s behavior at the memorial continues to spark outrage, as many question the appropriateness of his actions at such a solemn event.