Trump to consider releasing 9/11 records on involvement of Saudi Arabia in the attack
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a ceremony commemorating the 25th anniversary of the September 11th terrorist attacks in the courtyard of the Pentagon on September 11, 2026 in Arlington, Virginia. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
President Donald Trump said he is considering releasing records that could provide new details about allegations of Saudi Arabia’s involvement in the September 11 terrorist attacks.
The backstory:
Terry Strada, who lost her husband in the Sept. 11 attacks, is among the relatives of 9/11 victims who have spent years pursuing legal action against Saudi Arabia.
What they're saying:
During Friday’s remembrance ceremony in New York City, Strada used her turn reading the names of those killed to call on the Trump administration to stand with the victims’ families and take action. She urged the administration to "tell the Saudis to stop lying."
"It has been one betrayal after another. President Trump can still change that," Strada told the crowd, calling on Vance, who was in attendance, to "carry that message back" to Washington.
What's next:
On his way back from a visit to Ireland over the weekend, Trump spoke to reporters and said, "I’m going to look at it when I get back," Trump said, adding, "I know they asked me Friday."
Lawsuit against Saudi Arabia
The other side:
Saudi Arabia has repeatedly denied any connection to terrorism, maintaining the country has fought against al-Qaeda and terrorism, just like the United States and should not be involved as a defendant in a lawsuit for relatives of those killed in the attacks.
Dig deeper:
The lawsuit, filed on behalf of hundreds of relatives, injured survivors, insurance companies and businesses, claims that employees of the Saudi government directly and knowingly assisted the 9/11 hijackers and funded charities that supported and helped al-Qaeda's development.
Osama bin Laden was born in Saudi Arabia. However, he was stripped of his citizenship in the 1990s. He founded al-Qaeda, the terrorist organization he led until his death in 2011.
The Source: This story was written with information provided by The Associated Press. This story was reported from Orlando.