On September 5, the Trump administration stated that it was exploring legal mechanisms to take control of the 9/11 memorial and museum located in New York City.
The White House has not clarified what this takeover would imply. It has been a goal of Trump, who announced his intention of making it a national monument in the 2024 Presidential election.
Officials in charge of the National September 11 Memorial & Museum have rebuked the plan, stating that the federal government is not permitted to unilaterally take control over the site of the tragedy. It is currently owned by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. New York Governor Kathy Hochul has warned that it is part of Trump’s larger ambition to reshape the discourse around American history, as evidenced by his interference in the Smithsonian.
A board member of the museum, who lost her brother to the terrorist attack, also questioned the need to change the 9/11 Memorial.
“They do an incredible job telling the story of that day without sugarcoating it,” she said. “It’s being run so well, I don’t see why there has to be a change. I don’t see what benefit there would be.”
Associated Press
Some Americans still contend with the aftermath of 9/11. In Trump’s second term, a program that benefited those who were exposed to toxic dust amid the collapse of the World Trade Center was cut, only to be restored. This same incompetence may be at the forefront of the 9/11 Memorial if the federal takeover is successful.
