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Updated Sep 11, 2021 - Politics & Policy

Biden attends wreath-laying ceremony at Pentagon

Erin Doherty
POTUS and VPOTUS at Pentagon on 9/11/21

President Biden, first lady Jill Biden, Vice President Harris and second gentleman Doug Emhoff attend a wreath-laying ceremony at the National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial on Sept. 11 in Arlington, Virginia. Photo: Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

President Biden participated in a wreath-laying ceremony at the Pentagon on Saturday to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.

The latest: Biden and first lady Jill Biden arrived at the Pentagon after visiting the Flight 93 memorial in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, and Ground Zero in New York City.

Details: The Bidens were joined at the Pentagon by Vice President Kamala Harris, second gentleman Douglas Emhoff, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefsof Staff.

  • Harris traveled to Shanksville earlier Saturday and was joined by former President George W. Bush and first lady Laura Bush.
  • The Bidens were joined at Ground Zero by former President Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton; former President Obama and first lady Michelle; and former New York City mayors Rudy Giuliani and Michael Bloomberg, among other officials.
  • Former President Donald Trump told Fox News on Friday that he planned to visit Ground Zero on Saturday, though no official plans were announced.

What he's saying: Biden focused his 9/11 remarks on a return to unity — a sentiment that Harris and the 43rd president later echoed in their speeches.

  • "Unity is what makes us who we are. America at its best. To me, that’s the central lesson of Sept. 11," Biden said in a video message commemorating the anniversary.
  • Biden said that while visiting the Shanksville fire station, he took photos with boys wearing Trump hats.
  • “Are we going to, in the next four, five, six, 10 years, demonstrate that democracies can work, or not?” Biden said.

In photos

POTUS and VPOTUS at Pentagon on 9/11
President Biden and first lady Jill Biden followed by Vice President Kamala Harris and second gentlemen Doug Emhoff, attend a wreath-laying ceremony as they pay their respects to 9/11 victims at the Pentagon. Photo: Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images
POTUS, VPOTUS, SECDEF at Pentagon on 9/11/21
Hollyanne Milley (from left), wife of Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, President Biden, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Vice President Kamala Harris and second gentlemen Doug Emhoff and first lady Jill Biden attend a wreath-laying ceremony as they pay their respects to 9/11 victims at the Pentagon. Photo: Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images
President Biden and first lady Jill Biden lay a wreath at the Flight 93 National Memorial.
President Biden and first lady Jill Biden lay a wreath at the Flight 93 National Memorial. Photo: Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images
A wreath that was placed by US President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden stands in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, on September 11, 2021.
A wreath that was placed by President Biden and first lady Jill Biden stands in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, on Sept. 11.
President biden in Ground Zero New York.
President Biden and first lady Jill Biden are joined by former presidents and others at the annual 9/11 Commemoration Ceremony in New York City. Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
President Biden at Ground Zero in New York City.
President Biden at the annual 9/11 Commemoration Ceremony. Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
President Joe Biden, with First Lady Jill Biden (R), attends the ceremony at the National 9/11 Memorial marking the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks
President Biden and first lady Jill Biden attend the ceremony at the National 9/11 Memorial marking the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.

Go deeper: In photos: 9/11 ceremony at Ground Zero

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