Full Breakdown
President Trump Honors 9/11 Hero Welles Crowther with Posthumous Medal of Freedom
9/9/2026, 6:48:18 PM
The Medal Ceremony
On Tuesday, President Donald Trump presented the Presidential Medal of Freedom to the family of Welles Crowther, the volunteer firefighter and equities trader known as the “Man in the Red Bandana.” Crowther’s mother, Alison Crowther, and his sister, Paige Crowther Charbonneau, received the medal on his behalf. The ceremony featured a 21-foot, approximately 16,900-pound steel beam recovered from the South Tower, displayed as part of the Tunnel to Towers Foundation’s “Steel Across America” tour.
Crowther’s Heroic Actions
Welles Crowther, a 24-year-old equities trader at Sandler O’Neill & Partners and a volunteer firefighter with Empire Hook & Ladder Co. #1, entered the South Tower’s 78th-floor sky lobby after United Airlines Flight 175 struck the building. Wearing a red bandana over his nose and mouth, he guided survivors down the only functioning stairwell, making three trips before the tower collapsed. Survivors identified him as the man who shouted “follow me,” and sources credit him with saving as many as 18 lives.
Symbolic Elements of the Tribute
The steel beam, weighing roughly 16,900 pounds, traveled more than 10,000 miles on a 35-stop tour that began in May and is scheduled to return to Ground Zero on Sept. 11. The event also announced that the U.S. Coast Guard will commission a new fast-response cutter named for Jeffrey Palazzo, an FDNY Rescue Squad 5 member who died on 9/11.
Official Statements & Responses
Frank Siller, chairman and CEO of the Tunnel to Towers Foundation, described the day’s purpose as creating “moments of connection” for those who lived through the attacks and for younger generations. Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY) called the medal “recognition he justly deserves” and said it also honors every first responder who ran toward danger that day.
Criticism of Trump’s 9/11 Narrative
The New York Times reported that Trump’s claim of being rescued by two firefighters after taking a construction crew to the “U.S. Steel building” has been challenged by a former fire official who participated in the recovery effort. The official questioned the plausibility of the account, noting that Trump’s presence at the site shortly after the attacks has not been corroborated by contemporaneous records.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
- Trump’s rescue claim: Trump asserted that two “big strong” firefighters lifted him from an unstable building; a former fire official disputes the veracity of the story.
- Number of lives saved by Crowther: Sources vary, citing “as many as 18” and “more than a dozen” survivors.
Verbatim Quotes
- “They were sure they were going to die,” — Donald Trump
- “He willingly made all of these trips, up and down, up and down, up and down, over and over again, saving life after life,” — Donald Trump
- “Welles is receiving the recognition he justly deserves,” — Rep. Mike Lawler
