Did it really happen? Trump's heroic story from 9/11: "They lifted me up and ran"

US President Donald Trump claimed at an event marking the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks that two firefighters carried him to safety after a nearby building was about to collapse. The New York Times reported that no evidence was found to support the story. Over the years, Trump has presented different versions of his activities in the disaster area, including a claim that he brought a construction crew that helped with the work.

US President Donald Trump claimed yesterday (Tuesday, September 8, 2026) at an event marking the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks that he arrived at the World Trade Center area shortly after the attack along with a team of workers. According to him, during his time there, two firefighters were forced to carry him to safety after fears arose that a nearby building was about to collapse. "I'm not the smallest guy in the world. They grabbed me under my arms, said 'we have to get out of here,' and literally lifted me up and started running with me," Trump recounted. However, according to the New York Times, no evidence was found to support the president's story or verify the existence of the two firefighters he said rescued him. This is not the first time Trump's version of his activities in New York after the attacks has raised questions. Over the years, the president has presented several versions of his actions in the disaster area, including the claim that he brought a construction crew that helped with the work there. This claim has also been previously doubted by parties involved in rescue and recovery efforts. The article notes that the unusual claim joins a series of controversial statements and content Trump has published, including an AI video about turning the Gaza Strip into the "Riviera of the Middle East" and a photo in which he appears dressed in a white and red robe, interpreted as portraying him as Jesus.