Vice President JD Vance said Thursday he is "looking forward" to meeting with former President Joe Biden while in New York City next week for the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks, joking that the two would have "intense intellectual conversations."
"I'm really looking forward to hanging out with Joe Biden. I'm sure that we'll have many, many intense intellectual conversations and, you know, it'll be great. We'll have a great time with Joe Biden and the other presidents," Vance said during the first White House press briefing after former press secretary Karoline Leavitt exited in August.
Vance will travel to Ground Zero on September 11, joining former Presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton and former first ladies Hillary Clinton and Laura Bush for a remembrance ceremony marking a quarter-century since the terrorist attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people.
President Donald Trump is expected to attend a separate ceremony at the Pentagon, while other administration officials will represent the White House in Shanksville, Pennsylvania — covering all three locations targeted or affected by the attacks. Vance said there was no indication Trump was staying in Washington due to security concerns in New York City.
"We just decided as a team that I would go to New York for 9/11 and the president would stay here in D.C., of course, to commemorate what happened at the Pentagon, because that was a critical part of the tragedy of 9/11 as well," Vance said.
What the Right Is Saying
Administration supporters have highlighted Vance's remarks as evidence of his ability to work across political lines. The vice president's willingness to engage with Biden, whom he once criticized during the 2024 campaign, has been framed by allies as a sign of maturity in elected office.
"I will say that as much as it's tragic and it was a terrible day, I am looking forward to it because it's such an amazing honor to be able to get to go to New York and to share in that moment," Vance said during the press briefing.
White House officials have emphasized that having representation at all three attack sites demonstrates the administration's commitment to commemorating every location affected by September 11. The decision to split coverage between Ground Zero, the Pentagon, and Shanksville was described as a deliberate choice to honor each site equally.
What the Left Is Saying
Democrats have largely remained quiet on Vance's comments about meeting Biden. The former president's office has not issued a statement regarding the planned encounter or responded to Vance's characterization of potential conversations.
The White House press briefing did not include questions from reporters seeking elaboration on whether the exchange between Vance and Biden would be substantive or purely ceremonial.
Some Democratic observers noted that the 25th anniversary commemoration serves as a moment for national unity rather than political engagement, suggesting the focus should remain on honoring victims rather than interpersonal dynamics between current and former administration officials.
What the Numbers Show
The ceremony marks the 25th anniversary of the attacks that killed 2,977 people at the World Trade Center, 125 at the Pentagon, and 40 passengers aboard United Flight 93 in Shanksville, Pennsylvania.
Vance's last known interaction with Biden occurred at Trump's inauguration on January 20, 2025, in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda — approximately eight months prior to the planned Ground Zero encounter.
The commemoration will feature multiple former presidents and first ladies, representing both Democratic and Republican administrations from the past three decades.
The Bottom Line
Vance's lighthearted comments about meeting Biden come as the Trump administration navigates its relationship with the previous administration's leadership. The 25th anniversary of September 11 offers a rare moment when current and former officials from opposing parties will appear at the same event.
The distribution of White House officials across all three attack sites reflects an effort to balance presidential duties while ensuring no location is overlooked. Trump will remain in Washington for the Pentagon ceremony, with Vance leading the larger gathering in New York.
Observers will be watching to see whether any substantive conversation occurs between Vance and Biden, or whether the interaction remains ceremonial as typical for such commemorations.