Photo: Michael M. Santiago Getty Images via Agence France-Presse The ceremonies for the 23rd anniversary of the attacks were held in Manhattan.
Nicolas Revise – Agence France-Presse and Aurélia End – Agence France-Presse respectively in New York and Washington
Published at 1:42 p.m. Updated at 5:59 p.m.
- United States
US presidential candidates Kamala Harris and Donald Trump observed a brief truce on Wednesday to pay tribute to the victims of the September 11, 2001 attacks, the day after an acrimonious debate.
The Democratic vice president and the former Republican head of state stood together alongside President Joe Biden at a ceremony in New York, offering a rare image of civility in a deeply divided America.
At the site of the completely rebuilt World Trade Center, the two adversaries exchanged a handshake, Donald Trump smiling or smirking, under the amused gaze of President Biden.
All three then remained mostly still and silent as the ritual reading began of the names of the 2,977 people killed in the jihadist attacks carried out by the al-Qaeda group, which had driven airliners into the two WTC towers and the Pentagon near Washington, with a fourth crashing in Pennsylvania.
“Unity”
“Even in the darkest hours, we saw the light, in the face of fear, we came together,” President Joe Biden insisted.
He was even seen exchanging courteous remarks with his sworn enemy Donald Trump, whom he had faced during a debate on June 27, a disastrous encounter for the Democratic president who was forced to withdraw from the race on July 21.
Kamala Harris, who replaced him at short notice, considered that “unity was possible in America […] in the face of terrorism.”
The day before, at the start of their debate in Philadelphia [Pennsylvania], she had resolutely advanced towards her opponent to shake his hand, before jostling him for 90 minutes in front of millions of viewers.
While most commentators believe the 59-year-old Democrat dominated the match, the 78-year-old billionaire proclaimed on his Truth Social network that he had “beaten her soundly.”
200% Deposit Bonus up to €3,000 180% First Deposit Bonus up to $20,000He said on Wednesday that he did not want to “replay the match” after the opposing camp challenged him to accept a new confrontation in October. Then Donald Trump suggested that he might change his mind if a new duel were organized by Fox News, the favorite channel of the American right.
Pennsylvania
Kamala Harris' team continued to rejoice. In a message on X, she pretended to announce a new campaign video clip, referring to a recording… of the entire debate.
However, nothing says that this duel will have a decisive impact on the choices of American voters, an immense majority of whom have already chosen their side.
They lean equally towards the Democrat and the Republican, if we are to believe the polls.
The key to the election is therefore in the hands of a few tens of thousands of undecided voters living in the six or seven states considered the most strategic for the November 5 vote.
Among these key states, Pennsylvania (northeast), where Joe Biden and Kamala Harris traveled together to another site of the September 11 attacks: Shanksville, where a plane hijacked by al-Qaeda hijackers crashed.
Donald Trump also went there on his own.
Cap
Behind the patriotic solemnity, the campaign was never far away. Donald Trump supporters, wearing their favorite's colors, were visible not far from Joe Biden and Kamala Harris during their trip to Shanksville.
This also gave rise to a completely surprising scene.
During his visit to the local fire station, Joe Biden actually put a “Trump 2024” cap on his head.
According to a White House spokesperson, the Democratic president, who had just praised the unity between the political parties following September 11, in a way put his money where his mouth was by briefly donning the headgear of a Trump supporter present.
“Thanks for the support, Joe!” ” exulted the Republican's campaign team on X, publishing the photo of the 81-year-old Democrat, wearing the famous cap and smiling broadly.
On Thursday and Friday, the race for the White House will resume in full force. Kamala Harris to go to North Carolina and Pennsylvania, Donald Trump will go to Arizona and Nevada — four key states.
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