leading his first commemoration of the solemn 9/11 anniversary,president donald trump said that ''the living breathing soul of america wept with grief'' for each of the nearly 3,000 lives that were lost on that day 16 years ago.
addressing an audience at the pentagon,one of three sites attacked on sept.11,2001,trump used the anniversary to sternly warn terrorists that ''america cannot be intimidated ''.
he said those who try are destined to join a long list of vanquished enemies ''who dared to test our mettle''.
trump and first lady melania trump observed a moment of silence at the whitehouse on monday at the exact moment that a hijacked aeroplane was slammed into the world trade center.the trumps bowed their heads and placed their hands over their hearts as ''taps'' rang out across the south lawn.
they were surrounded by whitehouse aides and other administration officials in what has become an annual day of remembrance.
nearly 3,000 people were killed when hijackers flew commercial aeroplanes into new york's world trade center,the pentagon and a field near shanksville pennsylvania.
trump,a native new yorker who was in the city on 9/11,said the attack was worse than the japanese pearl harbor during world war 2 because it targeted civilians.
he vowed that it would never be repeated.
trump also offered words of comfort the many whose loved ones perished in the attacks.
trump has a checkered history with 9/11.he frequently uses the attack to praise the city's response has also made unsubstantiated claims about what he did and saw on that day.
trump often lauds the bravery of new york police fighters,fire fighters and other emergency responders who rushed to the twin towers to help as an example of the resilience of the city where he made a name for himself.