What a difference a day makes.
Former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris made nice Wednesday, greeting each other with a hearty handshake at a Lower Manhattan ceremony commemorating the 23rd anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
President Biden and GOP vice presidential nominee JD Vance were also in attendance during The three all attended the morning remembrance at Ground Zero — the first time all were in such close proximity since Harris was crowned the Democratic nominee last month.
Trump and Harris shook hands just hours after Tuesday night’s debate. REUTERS
Trump, Biden and Harris all attended the event at Ground Zero. AFP via Getty Images
President Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, and Donald Trump gathered in NYC Wednesday morning to commemorate the 23rd anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. Getty Images
Biden and Harris are set to attend all three sites, going to events at the Pentagon in Virginia and the field near Shanksville, Pa. REUTERSHarris, 59, had smiled and greeted the crowd at Ground Zero alongside Biden before shaking hands with Trump, 78, who arrived at the memorial about 10 minutes earlier with his running mate Vance.
During the debate Tuesday night, Harris approached Trump for a handshake and introduced herself, a display of assertiveness that set the tone for the remainder of the forum.
On Wednesday morning, the group of political rivals posed for a photograph alongside former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who stood between Trump and Biden.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) also stood nearby during the encounter.
Biden and Harris made it to all three 9/11 attack sites Wednesday, taking part in wreath layings Biden and Harris are set to attend all three sites, going to at the Pentagon in northern Virginia and the Flight 93 memorial in Shanksville, Pa.
Trump will be visiting the Pennsylvania site Wednesday as well. Getty Images
Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani attended the ceremony marking the 23rd anniversary of the September 11, 2001, attacks. REUTERSTrump also visited the Shanksville, Pa. memorial moments after Biden and both men paid a visit to the Shanksville Fire Department later in the day.
The encounter at the World Trade Center site also marked the first time Biden and Trump have crossed paths since the president ended his re-election effort July 21.
This year is not the first time presidential candidates have attended ceremonies at the 9/11 sites. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and Trump both attended the 2016 event at Ground Zero but did not speak to each other.
An officer paid his respects for those who lost their lives on Sept. 11, 2001. Paul MartinkaLast year, Biden chose to spend 9/11 far from the sites where 2,977 Americans died in 2001, attending a ceremony at an Alaskan military base while coming home from a trip to Asia.
Harris went to Ground Zero on Biden’s behalf in 2023 while Trump released a video in which he said the “precious souls” who died that terrible day left a “void that can never be filled”.
Biden last visited all three sites in 2021.
Post-debate, Harris has plans to travel to North Carolina Thursday, before heading to Pennsylvania as part of a post-debate swing through battleground states.
Her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz is set to tour Michigan and Wisconsin.
Trump is scheduled to campaign in Arizona and Nevada later this week.
