‘Where is Trump’ trends as former president misses 9/11 memorial ceremony ahead of boxing event

In the latest criticism of Trump’s statesmanship as a former Potus, questions have been raised over the Republican’s tribute to the victims of 9/11 – as he failed to appear alongside former presidents in New York City to mark the 20th anniversary of the terrorist attack which killed 2,977 people.

Ex-presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama – along with their respective partners – were photographed next to current president Joe Biden at Ground Zero on Saturday, as they paid their respects to those killed in the atrocity on 11 September 2001.

Former president George W Bush and Vice President Kamala Harris, meanwhile, attended a memorial in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, where a monument is erected in memory of those who died on board United Airlines Flight 93. The hijacked plane – one of four taken over by terrorists that day – crashed in the US state after passengers and crew attempted to regain control of the flight.

Two planes crashed into the Twin Towers in the World Trade Center, which later collapsed, with another hitting the Pentagon, home to the US Department of Defence.

While Biden, on Friday, said that togetherness was seen in “heroism everywhere”, and that that is the “central lesson of 11 September”, Trump released a video about the anniversary in which he has criticised his successor’s handling of Afghanistan.

“For the great people of our country, this is a very sad day. September the 11^th represents great sorrow for our country. Many things were displayed that day, including most importantly, our police, fire and first responders of every kind.

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“The job they did was truly unbelievable. We love them, and we thank them,” he said.

The businessman went on to add that it was “also a sad time” that the Afghanistan war ended earlier this month, saying that “the leader of our country was made to look like a fool”.

“This is the 20th year of this war, and should have been a year of victory, and honour, and strength. Instead, Joe Biden and his inept administration surrendered in defeat.”

With the former Apprentice star making no physical appearance at a 9/11 ceremony, Twitter users began to ask about the politician’s whereabouts on such an anniversary. The phrase “Where is Trump” trended on the social media platform on Saturday:

The answer, it seems, may lie in the fact that he’s due to host a boxing match between Evander Holyfield and Vitor Belfort in Florida.

He’s also due to be joined by his son, Donald Trump Jr, for the fight, with the latter saying in a Twitter video that he will push his father on the “burning question” about the secretive US base, Area 51.

Although it’s not known whether Trump ditched the ceremony for the bout, his decision to be a boxing commentator on such a “solemn” day has been met with fury by people online:

It isn’t the only criticism being thrown at Trump during the anniversary, after video footage resurfaced of the businessman’s response to the Twin Towers falling on a local news channel.

“40 Wall Street [the Trump Building] actually was the second tallest building in downtown Manhattan, and it was actually, before the World Trade Center, was the tallest. And then, when they built the World Trade Center, it became known as the second tallest.

“And now it’s the tallest,” he said.