Trump pays tribute to 'brave patriots' at 9/11 memorial in Pennyslvania

President Donald Trump speaks on September 11, 2018, at the site of a new memorial in Shanksville, Pennsylvania.
(Image credit: NICHOLAS KAMM/AFP/Getty Images)

President Trump on Tuesday spoke in Shanksville, Pennsylvania to commemorate the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

Shanksville, the site where a hijacked plane crashed after passengers fought against terrorists who wanted to steer the flight to Washington, unveiled a new memorial for the 40 people who died. Trump called the passengers "brave patriots" who "turned the tide on our nation's enemies and joined the immortal rank of American heroes."

Trump's somber address paid tribute to "American defiance," and asserted that the country is not defined by the attacks. "America's future is not written by our enemies. America's future is written by our heroes," he said. The president stuck to his prepared remarks, with none of the signature ad libbing that often characterize his speeches.

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Meanwhile, in the capital, Vice President Mike Pence delivered a speech at the 9/11 Pentagon Memorial. "The terrorists who carried out these attacks sought not just to take the lives of our people and crumble buildings," he said. "They hoped to break our spirit, and they failed." Pence spoke before armed forces, expressing condolences to the victims' families, and saying that the U.S. "must learn the lessons of 9/11 and remain ever-vigilant."

In New York City, where nearly 3,000 died as a result of the terrorist attacks in 2001, U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley attended a ceremony with former Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who Trump called a "true warrior" for his response to the attack. Watch Trump's full remarks at CNBC.

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Summer Meza, The Week US

Summer Meza has worked at The Week since 2018, serving as a staff writer, a news writer and currently the deputy editor. As a proud news generalist, she edits everything from political punditry and science news to personal finance advice and film reviews. Summer has previously written for Newsweek and the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, covering national politics, transportation and the cannabis industry.