Full Breakdown
9/11 Families Press Trump Administration to Hold Saudi Arabia Accountable
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event
During the 25th-anniversary ceremonies for the September 11, 2001 attacks, families of victims demanded that President Donald Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance press Saudi Arabia for accountability. National chair of 9/11 Families United, Terry Strada, accused “administration after administration” of protecting the Saudis and urged the president to release unredacted records that could illuminate the kingdom’s alleged role.
Background & Context
The lawsuit 9/11 Justice has been pursuing a civil case against Saudi Arabia for alleged logistical and financial support to hijackers, citing Saudi national Omar al-Bayoumi’s assistance to Nawaf al-Hazmi and Khalid al-Mihdhar. While the FBI notes many hijackers were Saudi nationals, Saudi officials deny governmental involvement. In 2016 Congress overrode President Obama’s veto of the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act (JASTA), permitting families to sue foreign states.
Timeline
- September 11, 2001 – Terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon.
- August 5, 2021 – Strada and other families speak at a Capitol Hill press conference on the September 11th Transparency Act.
- September 11 (anniversary) – Families deliver statements at the National September 11 Memorial in New York City.
- September 8, 2026 (scheduled) – President Trump is slated to speak at a “Steel Across America” event on the White House Ellipse.
Data & Statistics
- 15 of the 19 hijackers were Saudi nationals.
- The CIA’s release included 71 presidential briefs spanning 1998–2001.
- Families’ lawsuit highlights phone records of Omar al-Bayoumi as missing from the released files.
Official Statements & Responses
Lawmakers Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY), Rep. Dan Goldman (D-NY), and Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY) wrote to the Public Interest Declassification Board, citing “repeated obstacles” families face in obtaining intelligence records. The board responded that it is “actively engaged in interagency consultations.”
Verbatim Quotes
- “President Trump is leading the most transparent administration in history, and his team is working diligently to identify records that are responsive to these families' request.” — Terry Strada
- “How can it be, 25 years, and still we have no justice for the role Saudi Arabia played in your murder?” — Terry Strada
- “Families have asked both past and current administrations to release the records that will help expose the full truth,” — Brett Eagleson
- “For 25 years, administration after administration, including leaders in front of us here today, chose to protect the Saudis instead of standing with the 9/11 families,” — Terry Strada
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
The CIA’s declassification effort omitted the phone records of Omar al-Bayoumi, which families argue are crucial to establishing Saudi logistical support. The agency has not clarified why those specific records remain withheld, leaving a gap in the evidentiary record.
What’s Next
- The Public Interest Declassification Board’s inter-agency review may result in further releases, though no timeline has been announced.
- The civil suit against Saudi Arabia continues; a 2025 district-court ruling allowed the claims to proceed but did not determine liability.
- Families plan to maintain pressure on the administration during future commemorations and through congressional outreach.