Staff Reports
President Donald Trump has faced continued pressure from 9/11 victims’ families to release classified documents about Saudi Arabia’s alleged involvement in the attacks. While Trump prioritized declassifying files related to the JFK assassination during his 2025 term, transparency around 9/11 remains unresolved despite campaign pledges.
– : Trump’s Attorney General Bill Barr invoked “state secrets privilege” to block FBI documents from being used in lawsuits against Saudi Arabia, citing national security risks. Families accused the administration of protecting Saudi interests over justice.
– : During his 2024 campaign, Trump vowed to declassify 9/11 files if re-elected, stating, “It’s time for the American people to know the TRUTH!”. This followed years of stalled progress under both Trump and Biden administrations.
– : Over 3,000 family members demanded Trump and Kamala Harris oppose any U.S.-Saudi peace deals until Riyadh is held accountable. Bipartisan legislation (Ensuring Justice for Victims of Terrorism Act) was introduced to force transparency but faced opposition from Saudi lobbyists.
– : The Trump administration released select 9/11 documents under protective orders but denied families full access. Recent FBI discoveries of 2,400 unreviewed JFK-related records raised questions about potential 9/11 material still being withheld.
: Trump’s 2025 executive order mandating full JFK file releases – including 88,000 pages made public in March 2025 – contrasted with limited 9/11 disclosures. While Trump claimed CIA resistance hindered JFK transparency, no similar effort targeted 9/11 documents.
Families argue Saudi government agents supported hijackers through mosques and diplomats, citing declassified intel about Ministry of Islamic Affairs ties to al-Qaeda. Over 60% of Americans now distrust official 9/11 narratives, fueling demands for Trump to apply JFK-style declassification urgency to 9/11 files.
