September 11 Commemoration: A Political Crossroad for Harris and Trump

September 11: A Day of Remembrance and Politics

Mourners descended on Lower Manhattan Wednesday morning—as they have every September 11 for 23 years—for the annual commemoration and reading of the names of the nearly 3,000 people killed in the 9/11 terror attacks. For the sixth time since that day, the solemn ceremony comes in the midst of a high-stakes U.S. presidential election.

Political Figures Unite at Ground Zero

Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee, and former President Donald Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, both attended the ceremony at Ground Zero Wednesday morning. President Joe Biden was also there. It marks the second time the two candidates have crossed paths in two days, coming after Tuesday night's presidential debate in Philadelphia.

A Commemorative Ceremony with Political Undertones

However, the political fireworks from the debate stage did not bleed into the 9/11 commemoration. Harris and Trump exchanged a handshake at the ceremony, a sign of civility as the two candidates briefly put aside their policy differences to honor those killed 23 years earlier.

Still, this year's ceremony is taking place against the backdrop of a highly competitive and heated presidential race that has seen Harris and Trump spar over national security issues. Attending the 9/11 commemoration when it falls during an election year provides opportunities for presidential candidates to show themselves as leaders, honoring the past while engaging in the present.