Former President Donald Trump is facing criticism after repeating a personal story about the September 11, 2001 attacks that US media outlets have cast doubt on, according to Le HuffPost.
The French news outlet reports that Trump recently described a scene in which two firefighters told him to leave the area around Ground Zero in New York City. Le HuffPost notes that his detractors have reacted strongly to the anecdote, which they view as another instance of the former president embellishing his personal history.
Le Figaro also covered the remarks, highlighting that American journalists have questioned whether the event Trump described actually took place. The claim has drawn attention because it comes during a period of reflection around the anniversary of the attacks, which killed nearly 3,000 people.
The controversy is part of a broader pattern, as Libération wrote that Trump has used the 9/11 commemoration period to center the narrative on himself and to invent details about his own life. That outlet’s commentary suggests the latest story fits a recurring tendency rather than being an isolated incident.
Separately, franceinfo reported that families of 9/11 victims have asked New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani not to take part in official remembrance ceremonies. Courrier international added that former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani has also objected to Mamdani’s presence at the events. Those requests appear to be tied to political tensions rather than to Trump’s remarks.
What to watch next: whether Trump’s team offers any evidence to back his account, and how the dispute affects coverage of the 25th anniversary commemorations.
