Joe Biden is under fire for his decision to skip the New York ceremony for the 22nd anniversary of 9/11.
The 80-year-old opted to mark the occasion by visiting Alaska instead, making it the first time he has delivered a 9/11 anniversary speech as US President at a site that was not hit in the attack.
In 2022, Biden delivered remarks at the Pentagon, while in 2021 he visited ground zero in New York.
GB News’ Nigel Farage has criticised the president’s decision, dubbing it “deeply inappropriate”.
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“Having worked for 20 years in the international commodities business, I knew many people that were killed in a tower that day”, the former Brexit Party leader commented.
“The memorial, the museum, all that has been built there is magnificent.
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“How extraordinary that on this day it's Kamala Harris, the vice president that goes to downtown New York, whereas the president, Joe Biden, goes off to Alaska.
“I would have thought that was deeply inappropriate and frankly on the verge of being insulting.”
Other top officials from Biden’s administration are set to attend more traditional sites for commemorations.
Earlier on Monday, Vice President Kamala Harris visited New York City’s September 11th memorial.
Biden is the oldest-ever President to hold officePAFirst Lady Jill Biden will lay a wreath at the Pentagon memorial in Arlington, Virginia.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre insisted that despite Biden’s absence from the momentous ceremony, we are “seeing” him mark the occasion regardless.
“So look, we’ll have more on 9/11 in Alaska as you just mentioned”, she said.
“The president wanted to make sure that he, as the president, did something to commemorate 9/11.
“That’s what you’re seeing. That’s what you’re seeing the president do. We’ll certainly have more details to share.”
When pressed on the matter, she added: “As he does every year, he plans to honour the lives lost and the families and loved ones who still feel the pain of the terrible day.
“This is something he feels is very important to do. We can only imagine the heartbreak and the pain that the 9/11 families have felty every day for the past 22 years.”
The Biden administration also announced that it would install a 9/11 memorial on the North Portico starting at 6:30am, as Biden won’t memorialise the attack until hours after the Twin Towers were hit.
