Trump says firefighters near ground zero carried him to safety ‘right after’ 9/11 attacks

Key Points:

• President Donald Trump recounted a story of two firefighters lifting him off the ground near the U.S. Steel Building close to ground zero “right after” the 9/11 attacks, fearing the building would collapse, though he did not specify the exact timing of the incident.
• Trump clarified on Truth Social that he was not at the World Trade Center on the day of the collapse but arrived shortly thereafter, with White House officials stating he was describing his experience in the days following the attacks.
• Over the years, Trump has made several claims about witnessing key moments of 9/11, including seeing the second plane hit the South Tower from his apartment and helping clear rubble in the aftermath, though many of these accounts have not been independently verified.
• Trump also claimed to have witnessed people jumping from the towers and alleged that thousands of people in New Jersey cheered as the towers fell, a claim widely debunked by local authorities and lacking evidence.
• These statements have been part of Trump’s public narrative since at least 2015, often shared during campaign events and interviews, reflecting his personal connection to the events of 9/11 and their impact on New York City.