Donald Trump and GOP rivals pay tribute on 9/11. Others recall Trump comments on 9/11

WASHINGTON - Donald Trump and other Republicans paid tribute Monday to the heroes of 9/11, while some opponents recalled one of things Trump said on 9/11 - a claim that the destruction of the World Trade Center left one of his buildings as the tallest in the area.

"God bless the memory of all of those who perished in the 9/11 attacks," Trump said in a video he posted on his Truth Social account. "We will never ever forget."

Other social media users posted video of comment Trump made to a New York television station on Sept. 11, 2001. The then-businessman discussed the reaction of his employees at a nearby building once known as the tallest in the area.

"When they built the World Trade Center, it became known as the second tallest, and now it's the tallest," Trump said.

Re-posting that video on the X social media site, the organization Republicans against Trump said: "Never forget that Donald Trump's initial reaction to 9/11 was to boast that after the towers fell he suddenly owned the tallest building in downtown Manhattan."

What 2024 candidates said about 9/11

President Joe Biden and the 2024 Republican presidential candidates who want to replace him in the White House also paid tribute on the 22nd anniversary of the airplane strikes on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, and the crash of another hijacked airplane in a Pennsylvania field.

Among the GOP candidates on social media:

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis: "Twenty-two years ago, nineteen terrorists took 2,977 innocent lives in the deadliest attack against America in our history. We will never forget."

Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley: "22 years ago, the soul of America was shaken in a way we had never felt before ... Today, we have a new generation of young Americans who did not live through the horrors of 9/11. It’s our job to remind them that real evil exists in this world."

Former Vice President Mike Pence: "As long as this Nation endures, Americans will forever be inspired by the faithful, courageous actions of the heroes from 9/11/01, and we will never forget or fail to honor their memory."

Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie: "22 years ago today was one of the darkest days in our nation's history. We can honor those we lost with our love and our deeds. The day before, I was named U.S. Attorney for NJ. My wife and brother were within blocks of Ground Zero. This day is personal to me on many levels."

Businessman Vivek Ramaswamy: "I was in U.S. history class in 11th grade on 9/11. We didn’t just learn history, we watched it unfold as we watched the aftermath of the catastrophe. I remember to this day watching the heroism of the firefighters, police officers, and first responders who ran not from Ground Zero, but toward it, to help their fellow Americans in need."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: What Trump and 2024 rivals said about 9/11 and what Trump said in 2001