President Trump said on Sept. 13 that he may release records related to the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, telling reporters in Ireland that he will look at it when he returns, in response to recent requests from advocates for families of people killed in the attacks.
The statement came amid renewed calls from victim advocates for Trump to declassify documents they say implicate Saudi Arabia. Fifteen of the 19 hijackers came from Saudi Arabia, according to the FBI. Some have sued Saudi Arabia, alleging that officials supported al-Qaeda in the period leading up to the attacks.
What families said at the anniversary
During the reading of names at the New York City anniversary ceremony on Sept. 11, a nephew of Lisa Marie Terry, who was in the North Tower when it was struck, called on Trump to release unredacted files. He said that for 25 years the deep state has hidden the truth about what happened that day and said Trump is the families’ last hope. He asked that the files be released while those who lost loved ones are still alive to see it.
Terry Strada, whose husband Tom Strada died in the attacks, also spoke at the ceremony. She said past administrations have chosen to protect the Saudis instead of standing with the families and urged the president to take action.
The records and the Saudi question
The classified and partially redacted records that 9/11 family advocates have sought relate to pre-attack FBI investigations and the question of whether Saudi government officials provided material support to the hijackers. Previous administrations have withheld or heavily redacted those documents, citing national security and diplomatic sensitivity.
The Biden administration released some documents in 2021 after a similar push. Those documents included FBI investigative material about contacts between Saudi government employees and the hijackers but did not resolve the central dispute over whether the Saudi government as an institution bore responsibility.
Advocates contend that full declassification would make the case for Saudi government liability clearer and strengthen ongoing civil litigation. Saudi Arabia has denied any involvement in the attacks and has sought to have lawsuits against it dismissed.
What Trump has said
His statement was conditional and noncommittal. He said he would look at it when he returns rather than indicating a decision had been made. Whether action will follow was not indicated.
These requests have followed presidents of both parties for years without producing full declassification. Trump’s response in Ireland was consistent with the position other presidents have taken when first asked, which is that the matter deserves consideration.
