President Donald Trump has defended his account of being carried to safety by firefighters near the World Trade Center following the September 11 attacks, saying the incident happened after the day the towers collapsed.

The dispute follows remarks at a September 8, 2026, event on the White House Ellipse honoring emergency responders. Trump described fears that One Liberty Plaza, formerly known as the U.S. Steel Building, might collapse while he was nearby. He said two firefighters lifted him and ran with him to move him away from danger. The building did not fall.

After news outlets challenged the account, Trump posted a response on Truth Social. He said his visit took place shortly after September 11, rather than on the day of the attacks, and maintained that his description was accurate.

Trump also shared archival footage showing him speaking to reporters in Lower Manhattan. In those interviews, he said workers from his company were helping with the response and that more were expected to arrive. He cited his former security chief, Matthew Calamari, as someone who could confirm the visit.

The controversy involves several separate questions: when Trump visited the area, what role he and his employees played, and whether firefighters carried him to safety.

According to PolitiFact, the earliest known photographs and video placing Trump near Ground Zero date to September 13, 2001. Those appearances document his presence in the area, but do not independently establish his account of being carried by firefighters or the scale of his company’s involvement in recovery work.

Historical records support concerns about One Liberty Plaza. PolitiFact cites the Federal Reserve Bank of New York’s account of employees evacuating its nearby building on September 12 because they feared the tower could collapse. That record does not identify Trump as being present.

Questions about the construction workers also predate the latest remarks. Former New York Fire Department battalion chief Richard Alles told PolitiFact in 2019 that he knew of no such deployment by Trump. He explained that a large group assisting the operation would have required coordination with emergency commanders.

The White House defended Trump in a statement to CNN, arguing that his activities as a private citizen were not comprehensively documented. Spokesperson Davis Ingle also criticized coverage of the remarks, saying the event had been intended to recognize first responders and their families.

Trump’s response extended to reporting about his anniversary plans. He rejected suggestions that his decision to attend a Pentagon commemoration instead of the New York ceremony was connected to restrictions on political speeches. He said Vice President JD Vance would represent the administration in New York.

The available evidence confirms that Trump was near Ground Zero in the days following the attacks. His more specific account of being carried away by firefighters remains unverified.