President Donald Trump honored emergency personnel who died during the September 11 attacks by posthumously awarding the Presidential Medal of Freedom to volunteer firefighter.
Trump paid tribute to the victims, saying the US will “never forget” the nearly 3,000 lives lost in the tragedy.
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Crowther, who also worked as a stock trader, was remembered for helping people escape the World Trade Center before he was killed in the collapsing towers. His mother, Alison Crowther, accepted the nation’s highest civilian honor on behalf of her son and said he used his training as a volunteer firefighter during the attacks.
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During the event, Trump also spoke about his own actions after the attacks, saying he watched television that morning and later took a construction crew to the site. He also said two large firefighters picked him up and moved him to safety after he saw an unstable building.
However, the account remains disputed. Former police officials and a Trump biographer have said Trump was not part of the people who went to Ground Zero and did not take a crew there. Officials present at the time have also said he was not involved in recovery or response operations.
Trump also called on administration officials, including Attorney General Todd Blanche, to stand for a moment of applause.
