9/11 widow calls out government for protecting Saudis at 9/11 ceremony

9/11 Family Advocate Presses White House Over Saudi Arabia Claims at Ground Zero

Provpnadvice.com – At the 25th anniversary observance for the Sept. 11 attacks in New York City, Terry Strada used her appearance to urge the Trump administration to confront Saudi Arabia over allegations of links to the 2001 terrorist attacks. Her remarks at Ground Zero drew strong applause from those gathered for the memorial ceremony.

Strada, whose husband Tom was killed in the north tower of the World Trade Center, has long represented relatives of people lost on Sept. 11. As chair of 9/11 Families United, she told officials present that victims’ families have spent decades seeking fuller disclosure and accountability.

“For 25 years, administration after administration … chose to protect the Saudis instead of standing with the 9/11 families.”

Former living U.S. presidents attended the service, along with Vice President Vance. The annual ceremony is centered on remembrance, including the reading of the names of those killed in the attacks, and political remarks are not usually part of the program. Still, the calls for action reflected the continuing frustration felt by some family members and survivors.

Calls for Evidence to Be Released

Strada accused successive administrations of withholding material, breaking commitments and opposing the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act, known as JASTA. The law gave victims of terrorist attacks on U.S. soil a pathway to pursue civil claims against foreign governments in certain circumstances.

“It has been one betrayal after another.”

Her husband, Tom Strada, worked as a bond broker and was among those killed when the World Trade Center was attacked on Sept. 11, 2001. For families who lost loved ones, debates over records, diplomatic relationships and legal accountability remain inseparable from the personal consequences of that day.

Addressing President Trump through the vice president, Strada asked the administration to challenge what she described as Saudi denials. Saudi Arabia has repeatedly rejected allegations that it was connected to the attacks.

“Tell the Saudis to stop lying.”

She said that any friendship between Saudi Arabia and the United States should require recognition of the suffering and destruction endured by families and survivors. Strada thanked Vance for taking part in the Ground Zero event and asked him to relay the families’ concerns to Trump, who spoke at a separate Sept. 11 memorial ceremony at the Pentagon.

“Stand with the families. Stand with the survivors. Stand with Americans.”

Strada added that her late husband would have regarded that position as the proper course. Her remarks underscored how the anniversary served not only as a time of mourning, but also as a reminder that many relatives continue to pursue answers a quarter-century after the attacks.

A Second Appeal From a Victim’s Relative

Another speaker, who identified himself as the nephew of 9/11 victim Lisa Marie Terry, also appealed directly to Trump. He called for the release of documents he said would demonstrate Saudi Arabia’s involvement in the attacks.

“President Trump, you’re our last hope.”

The man argued that unredacted files should be made public while surviving relatives of victims are still able to see them. He described a long-running belief that crucial information has remained hidden from the public.

The appeals arrived during the ceremony’s reading of victims’ names, an emotional centerpiece of the annual commemoration. The Sept. 11 attacks killed thousands of people in New York, at the Pentagon and aboard the planes used in the attacks. For many families, the memorial remains both a place to honor those who died and a setting where unresolved questions are voiced.

Diplomacy and Accountability Remain Entwined

The issue also places renewed attention on Trump’s relationship with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. During his two terms in the White House, Trump’s dealings with the crown prince have faced public scrutiny, particularly after U.S. intelligence assessments concluded that the Saudi ruler likely approved the 2018 killing of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

Saudi Arabia’s alleged relationship to the Sept. 11 attacks has remained a sensitive matter for years, touching on national security records, the rights of victims’ families and the strategic importance of the U.S.-Saudi relationship. The kingdom has consistently denied responsibility for the attacks or participation in them.

Strada’s comments showed that, for families who continue to seek information and recognition, the passage of 25 years has not settled the issue. Their demands center on transparency, the release of records and a belief that government policy should place the interests of victims and survivors at the forefront.