President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump made a rare joint appearance on Wednesday at the New York City site that marks the Sept. 11 plane attacks in 2001 that killed nearly 3,000 people.
Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee and Trump, her Republican rival in the Nov. 5 U.S. presidential election, shook hands and exchanged a few words, despite their contentious debate the night before, then lined up for the commemoration. Trump's running mate, Senator JD Vance of Ohio, also attended.
Instead of formal remarks, the ceremony at the "ground zero" site where planes brought down the World Trade Center's twin towers included wives, husbands, sisters, brothers and grandchildren reading the names of family members killed 23 years ago.
The annual rite marks the suicide attacks by al Qaeda Islamist militants that hit Manhattan, the Pentagon and a Pennsylvania field.
"Richard J. O'Connor. We will always love and miss you," a small red-headed boy said of his grandfather, who was killed in the World Trade Center that morning.