Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump shook hands Wednesday morning as they arrived at the 9/11 anniversary ceremony in downtown Manhattan, according to ABC News. The greeting occurred less than 12 hours after their first-ever meeting at a presidential debate in Philadelphia, hosted by the news outlet.
Harris, positioned between New York Sen Chuck Schumer and President Joe Biden, reached over the president to shake hands with Trump, who was standing next to former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg. This interaction marked a significant moment, as Tuesday night's handshake between Harris and Trump had already ended an eight-year streak of no handshakes on the presidential debate stage. The ABC News report noted that there are no rules or stipulations requiring a handshake before or after presidential debates, making these exchanges particularly noteworthy. Following the ceremony at Ground Zero, the president and vice president were scheduled to attend additional 9/11 anniversary ceremonies in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, and at the Pentagon. Trump is also expected to visit Shanksville after the Ground Zero event.
President Biden, Vice President Harris, former President Trump, Sen. JD Vance and Former New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg at 9/11 Ceremony in New York. pic.twitter.com/nK19YKABjB
— CSPAN (@cspan) September 11, 2024
Addressing the significance of the day, President Biden released a statement, saying, "On this day 23 years ago, terrorists believed they could break our will and bring us to our knees. They were wrong. They will always be wrong." He continued, "In the darkest of hours, we found light. And in the face of fear, we came together -- to defend our country, and to help one another." Biden also remarked on the current state of affairs, stating, "Today, our longest war is finally over. But our commitment to preventing another attack on our people never will be."
