Hope Among 9/11 Families for Federal Acquisition of Ground Zero Memorial
A number of families affected by 9/11 are expressing optimism as President Trump looks into the federal acquisition of the Ground Zero War Museum and Memorial.
“I’m pleased,” said Sally Levenhardt, whose son, firefighter Christian Regenhardt, lost his life during the attacks on September 11, 2001. “This feels like an answer to prayer.”
“It’s God’s grace that Donald Trump listened to the families’ cries,” continued Regenhardt, who advocates for the families of fallen firefighters from 9/11.
A spokesperson for the White House mentioned that discussions are underway regarding the possibility of a federal takeover.
On the campaign trail last year, Trump promised to designate the site as a national monument under federal protection.
“This evening, as president, I am announcing that I will officially have national memorials that protect and maintain the World Trade Center’s Ground Zero Site by the US government,” Trump declared at a rally in Long Island last September. He emphasized that this action would ensure the memory of those who died would always be honored.
This movement has gained momentum following revelations about significant increases in executive salaries at the museum’s nonprofit organization, which became public last month.
Many families impacted by 9/11 have long urged the National Park Service to oversee the complex.
One of their main requests has been to relocate the remains of 1,100 unidentified victims from the museum’s basement and to include the names of those eventually identified by the city’s inspector’s office.
“In the future, especially for the parents of the victims, they won’t be around to share their stories,” Levenhardt said tearfully. “No one will know my son was a firefighter who died in the chaos at Ground Zero.”
Elizabeth Hillman, president and CEO of the 9/11 Memorial Museum, opposed the idea of a federal takeover.
“When the federal government was focused on cutting costs, we thought the full operating expenses of the site were undervalued,” she told a news outlet.
“We take pride in our exhibits that showcase courage and patriotism, and we believe our current operational model effectively serves the public interest.”
Trump is not expected to attend the Ground Zero Memorial Ceremony next week, as he will instead be at the ceremony in the Pentagon. Later that day, he is set to be in New York to see the Yankees play against the Detroit Tigers.
