Terry Strada, widow of 9/11 victim Tom Strada, delivered a forceful call for justice against Saudi Arabia during the 25th anniversary memorial ceremony of the September 11 attacks, held Friday. Strada’s husband was among the 658 Cantor Fitzgerald employees who died when American Airlines Flight 11 was hijacked and flown into the World Trade Center’s north tower in 2001.
In a poignant moment following the reading of her husband’s name, Strada publicly questioned the ongoing lack of accountability for Saudi Arabia's alleged involvement in the attacks. She, as the national chair of 9/11 Families United for Justice, accused Saudi Arabia of fostering “a rancid culture of anti-American terrorism” and providing support to the hijackers, 15 of whom were Saudi nationals. Strada urged the U.S. government to demand honesty from Riyadh and emphasized that maintaining a relationship with the kingdom requires acknowledgment of its role and cessation of denial.
Strada’s remarks came in the presence of former U.S. presidents George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and Joe Biden, as well as Vice President JD Vance, who represented the current administration. Though the former presidents showed no visible response, Strada directly addressed Vance, asking him to convey the families' message to Saudi leaders and to stand with survivors and Americans seeking justice.
During her address, Strada reflected on the frustration of having to voice these concerns publicly at a memorial event, stating she had hoped the day would be dedicated solely to remembrance. The applause she received after speaking signaled support for her ongoing campaign to hold Saudi Arabia accountable. She asserted, “We’re never going to stop. We’re always going to be a thorn in the kingdom’s side,” insisting that respect on the world stage must be earned through truth and accountability.
Strada also criticized what she described as Saudi Arabia’s persistent denial of involvement in legal settings, accusing the kingdom of attempting to discredit evidence linking it to the attacks. She underscored the strength of that evidence, which continues to fuel demands for transparency.
In a related plea during the ceremony, the nephew of Lisa Marie Terry, daughter of Marsh & McLennan vice president and another 9/11 victim, urged former President Donald Trump to release unredacted government files that purportedly implicate Saudi Arabia. He appealed for the documents to be made public while surviving family members remain, describing the government’s withholding of information as part of a 25-year effort by a “deep state” to conceal the full truth.
The annual ceremony, marked by moments of solemn remembrance and calls for justice, highlighted enduring tensions over the unresolved questions about foreign involvement in one of America’s most devastating terrorist attacks.