Today marks the 17th anniversary of the deadliest terrorist attack in U.S. history. On September 11, 2001, 19 Al-Queda militants hijacked four planes to carry out suicide attacks. Two planes crashed into the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York City. A third plane crashed into the Pentagon in Virginia. And a fourth plane, Flight 193, crashed into a field in Pennsylvania. The intended target was in Washington, D.C., but the brave passengers on board thwarted the hijackers and regained control of the plane.
Nearly 3,000 people died, and over 6,000 people were injured, following the terrorist attacks. Many Americans lost loved ones. Many heroic firefighters and police officers gave their lives to rescue people, or are still battling health problems today from inhaling the toxic smoke. It's a somber day to remember whom we lost, and empathize with those who are mourning. So, of course, Donald Trump marked the solemn occasion with an excited double fist pump.
President Trump and the First Lady arrived in Pennsylvania to attend a memorial service for the forty passengers and crew members of Flight 193. However, as Trump approached the crowd at the airport, he gave an absolutely tone-deaf gesture, pumping both of his fists in the air with a perplexing facial expression. The president's bizarre body language sparked a backlash on social media. As one Twitter user put it, "I've never been excited for anything as much as Donald Trump is excited for 9/11."
You'd think that on 9/11, the president would take a break from doing something embarrassing, but nope.
Turnnnnn up!
Hey now! Some of those hillbillies, I assume, are good people.
Pepperidge Farm remembers.
I'm sticking with "perplexing."
9/11 might be the worst party theme.
Okay, 9/11 is definitely the worst party theme.
And did I mention the thumbs-up at the Flight 193 Memorial?
This sounds like something President Trump would say, in reaction to the criticism.
This Twitter user claims that on 9/11, after the World Trade Center fell, Trump's first reaction was to brag about how his building was now the tallest. According to Snopes, this is a mixture of true and false. In an interview, Trump does mention his building is the tallest, but whether or not that constitutes "bragging" is up to interpretation.
Melania is the Queen of side-eye.
But hey, let's give Donald Trump some credit. After rage-tweeting about the Russia investigation, he congratulated his lawyer, Rudy Giuliani. Giuliani was the Mayor of New York City during 9/11, and widely praised for his leadership. Now he goes on cable news shows and gives contradictory, baffling Orwellian statements defending Trump, such as "Truth isn't truth."
Nobody counts better than the commander-in-chief.
Maybe Chrissy Teigen put it best.
President Trump has been accused of lacking empathy before. During a meeting with Parkland school shooting survivors, he held notecards with prompts to say simple statements like "I hear you." And during a visit to a relief center in hurricane-ravaged Puerto Rico, he threw paper towels into the crowd like he was shooting basketballs. Still, who saw a double fist pump on 9/11 coming?
