President Donald Trump used a signing ceremony for the 9/11 first responders bill this week to claim that he visited first responders at Ground Zero, a lie that is now being called out by GOP strategist John Weaver who worked at the site for then-Mayor Rudy Giuliani.
For years, 9/11 first responders have been working to get Congress to permanently extend benefits for themselves, the victims and their families to take care of recurring health problems caused by the collapse of the World Trade Center towers in 2001.
They achieved their goal last week when Senate Republicans were publicly shamed into finally doing the right thing. But rather than just sign the bill into law and brag about that, Trump chose to tell lies in an effort to associate himself with Ground Zero and the first responders who risked their lives and their health to save others.
“Many of those affected were firefighters, police officers, and other first responders,” Trump said. “And I was down there also, but I’m not considering myself a first responder, but I was down there, I spent a lot of time down there with you.”
And that’s just not true. In fact, Trump bragged during the unfolding crisis that day that he now had the tallest buildings in New York in a call with the media from Trump Tower, which is on the other side of Manhattan 7 miles away.
Trump has also claimed to have been in New Jersey that day, where he supposedly witnessed Muslims cheering on the carnage, another lie he told that has been repeatedly debunked.
Weaver, who handled communications at Ground Zero and would have known if Trump were visiting the site, has now confirmed that he never saw Trump visit Ground Zero a single time.
I was in NYC working with city from 9/12 onward out of pier & at Ground Zero each day. Team I headed & worked with had oversight of political leaders from here & around the world, celebrities & business leaders, & media who wanted access to or near WTC. No Trump. Not once. #Liar
— John Weaver (@jwgop) July 30, 2019
He also confirmed that Trump lied about sending men to Ground Zero to help.
No
— John Weaver (@jwgop) July 30, 2019
This is not a Democrat who is calling out Trump for lying. It’s a Republican who worked for Giuliani. Trump has lied about his activities on 9/11 and afterward time and time again. It’s time for the media to stop letting him get away with it and it’s time for the American people to vote him out. Because anyone who uses 9/11 and the heroes of 9/11 in an effort to make themselves look good is unfit to be in any political office.
Featured Image: Wikimedia
