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Former President Donald Trump is facing significant critiicsm after news outlets reported that he will be spending the 20th anniversary of the September 11 terror attacks hosting a boxing match.
The former President will be joined by his son, Donald Trump Jr., to offer "alternative" commentary to the match between Evander Holyfield and Vitor Belfort at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel in Hollywood, Florida.
The event will cost $50 a pop and will be broadcast via the FITE streaming platform.
News of the event quickly spread after posters for the event emblazoned with the former President's face made the rounds on social media.
Nearly 3,000 people were killed on September 11, 2001 after four commercial planes were hijacked mid-flight by al-Qaeda terrorists.
Three of the planes hit their designated targets, the Twin Towers at the World Trade Center in New York City and the Pentagon in Washington, D.C.
The fourth crashed in a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania after the plane's passengers attempted to regain control of the aircraft away from the hijackers and ultimately diverted the flight from its intended target.
The event has been memorialized by every Presidential administration since, that is, until now.
Trump garnered heavy criticism for what many social media users took to be a blatant sign of disrespect for perhaps the most somber event in recent American history.
A few also drew contrasts between Trump and President Joe Biden, who will commemorate September 11 by participating in memorials at each of the crash sites.
Pres. Biden will commemorate 9/11 anniversary by visiting all 3 crash sites. Trump will spend Sept. 11 as a guest commentator on a pay-per-view boxing match in Las Vegas.\nThe contrast between a compassionate, decent leader & a venal, thuggish grifter couldn't be more stark.— Charles Campisi (@Charles Campisi) 1631111277
There is no bottom.https://twitter.com/ProjectLincoln/status/1435600068250329088\u00a0\u2026— Dr Bruce Lobitz (@Dr Bruce Lobitz) 1631111561
Of course trump is\u2026he doesn\u2019t give a shit about 9/11, he feels the need for more personal attention instead.https://twitter.com/projectlincoln/status/1435600068250329088\u00a0\u2026— tammy (@tammy) 1631111970
Would love to know who thought MC'ing a celebrity boxing match was an appropriate move for a former U.S. President on the 20th anniversary of 9/11 (or any day, really).https://www.espn.com/boxing/story/_/id/32167639/donald-trump-son-provide-commentary-evander-holyfield-vitor-belfort-alternate-telecast\u00a0\u2026— Evan Kohlmann (@Evan Kohlmann) 1631109721
You know he won't be able to stop himself from using the air time, to bitch, moan, whine and continue the big lie. They'll be lucky if he even mentions the fight going on.https://twitter.com/HuffPost/status/1435557596916764672\u00a0\u2026— christy morris \ud83e\uddda\u200d\u2642\ufe0f (@christy morris \ud83e\uddda\u200d\u2642\ufe0f) 1631103416
Some ex presidents fight AIDS, poverty and fascism. Others announce sporting contests. Wanker.https://www.businessinsider.com/donald-trump-and-son-to-do-boxing-commentary-for-holyfield-belfort-fight-2021-9\u00a0\u2026— Lawyers, Guns and Money (@Lawyers, Guns and Money) 1631098627
His priorities are unchanged. \u201cMe. Publicity. Visibility. TV.\u201d\n9/11? That was the day his building got to be tallest again.https://twitter.com/Variety/status/1435439337932566528\u00a0\u2026— Merv Adrian (@Merv Adrian) 1631074828
Right, just what we need on 9/11. Trump boxing opinions. Absolutely disgusting, at least SNL will have material to start the new seasonhttps://twitter.com/variety/status/1435439337932566528\u00a0\u2026— Kyle Arango (@Kyle Arango) 1631079619
He really *is* broke. He's not just a broken human being, he's broke. Skint. Financially insolvent.https://twitter.com/Variety/status/1435439337932566528\u00a0\u2026— Anxious Octopus\ud83d\udc19\ud83d\udc89 (@Anxious Octopus\ud83d\udc19\ud83d\udc89) 1631099395
Trump has long been criticized for disrespecting the memory of those who perished on September 11, even as far back as the very day the attack took place.
On September 11, 2001, Trump, then just a New York real estate mogul, called into a New York TV news broadcast as the station aired footage of the World Trade Center attacks and claimed that his property at 40 Wall Street would now become the tallest building in the area.
Speaking to WWOR co-anchor Brenda Blackmon at the time, Trump said:
"40 Wall Street actually was the second-tallest building in downtown Manhattan, and it was actually, before the World Trade Center, was the tallest — and then, when they built the World Trade Center, it became known as the second-tallest."
"And now it's the tallest."
That claim turned out to be false.
According to the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat, 70 Pine Street, at 952 feet, became the tallest building in the area after September 11.
Trump's building at 40 Wall Street is 927 feet tall, 25 feet shorter than 70 Pine Street.