President Donald Trump reportedly plans to skip a 9/11 commemoration in Manhattan after he was barred from delivering a speech, per insiders.
A New York Times report published on Thursday and co-written by Maggie Haberman revealed that Trump is not planning to attend a ceremony marking the 25th anniversary of the attack on the World Trade Center. The reporting is based on information from four anonymous insiders.
Trump's team has conducted advance visits to the site where the ceremony is set to take place after the president initially signaled that he planned to attend Ground Zero on September 11, two anonymous insiders told The Times.
Instead, Trump, a New York native, is now expected to commemorate the attacks at the Pentagon, two insiders told The Times. The Pentagon was also a site of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
Trump wanted to speak at the Manhattan event and told memorial planners in recent weeks about his interest in doing so, three sources told The Times. However, politicians haven't been allowed to speak at the Ground Zero site since 2012, according to The Times.
The National September 11 Memorial and Museum oversees the Ground Zero site and wants to keep the location nonpartisan and focused on the solemnity of the day, according to The Times.
Vice President JD Vance, however, is expected to attend the Manhattan ceremony and represent the White House, The Times reported.
Trump's event at the Pentagon is also expected to follow his headliner events at his Dallas midterm convention on September 9 and 10. Officials have also discussed holding a 9/11 tribute at the midterm convention, according to The Times.
On September 12, Trump is also scheduled to depart for his golf course in Doonbeg, Ireland, where the Irish Open tournament will take place, The Times reported.