9/11 widow Terry Strada drew cheers at Ground Zero after accusing Saudi Arabia of a role in the attacks and urging Trump to seek justice.
Terry Strada, the widow of a man killed in the September 11 attacks, delivered an emotional rebuke of Saudi Arabia during the 25th-anniversary ceremony at Ground Zero on Friday, drawing loud cheers from those gathered to remember the victims.
Strada, whose husband Tom was killed in the attacks, questioned why 25 years have passed without what she described as justice for Saudi Arabia’s alleged role in the attacks.
“How can it be 25 years and still we have no justice for the role that Saudi Arabia played in your murder?” Strada said while speaking about her late husband, according to Fox News’ live coverage.
Her remarks came as families and political leaders gathered in New York to mark a quarter-century since al Qaeda terrorists hijacked four commercial airliners and killed 2,977 people.
‘One betrayal after another’
Strada accused successive U.S. administrations of protecting Saudi Arabia rather than standing with the families of 9/11 victims.
She said families had finally brought their case into court and alleged that Saudi Arabia fostered an anti-American terrorist culture and that Saudi agents provided support to radical Islamist hijackers.
“But for 25 years, administration after administration, including leaders in front of us here today, chose to protect the Saudis instead of standing with the 9/11 families,” Strada said.
She then delivered the line that drew a strong reaction from the crowd.
“They broke promises both public and private. It has been one betrayal after another,” Strada said.
Strada also directly appealed to President Donald Trump, saying he could still change the situation and urging Saudi Arabia to acknowledge the families’ concerns.
Strada appeals to Vance
Vice President JD Vance attended the Ground Zero ceremony on behalf of the Trump administration. Strada addressed him directly and asked him to carry the families’ message back to the White House.
“Vice President Vance, thank you for being here today. Please carry that message back. Stand with the families. Stand with the survivors. Stand with Americans,” she said.
Vance was among the political leaders gathered at the memorial, which also included former Presidents George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, Barack Obama and Joe Biden, according to reporting on the ceremony.
The appeal puts renewed attention on a long-running legal and political dispute involving allegations of Saudi support for some of the 9/11 hijackers.
Saudi Arabia has denied involvement in the attacks. Families of 9/11 victims have pursued legal action seeking to hold the kingdom responsible, with litigation continuing in U.S. courts.
25 years later, families still seek answers
The emotional confrontation over Saudi Arabia came during a solemn ceremony marking 25 years since the attacks.
The Ground Zero commemoration included the reading of victims’ names and moments of silence corresponding to key moments of the attacks. This year’s observance also recognizes people who later died from illnesses connected to toxic exposure following the attacks.
President Trump was not at the New York ceremony. He marked the anniversary at the Pentagon, where he honored the victims of the attack there and spoke about America’s response to the tragedy.
For families such as Strada’s, however, the anniversary remains about more than remembering those who died. It is also an opportunity to demand answers about what happened before and after September 11.
Her remarks brought that unresolved issue to the center of the 25th-anniversary ceremony, turning a moment of remembrance into a renewed call for accountability.
Also read: Trump Speaks at Pentagon on 25th 9/11 Anniversary
