On August 31, 2026, U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance delivered a speech at a Republican campaign rally in Michigan —
We're about to "celebrate" the 25th anniversary of 9/11. I mean, commemorate.
As soon as he finished speaking, Vance immediately realized his word choice was inappropriate and hastily corrected himself on the spot. Later, he clarified: his original intention was to honor the heroic rescuers during the event, not to celebrate the attack itself — a slip of the tongue during live delivery.
2026 marks the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. On September 11, the United States will hold nationwide memorial ceremonies, and Vance had been scheduled to represent the government at the commemoration event at the site of the former World Trade Center in New York. In the American public discourse, the term “celebrate” is strictly taboo when referring to tragic anniversaries; only “commemorate” (or “honor”) is appropriate.
After the speech video went viral on social media, it sparked widespread criticism. Many families of the victims expressed deep emotional hurt; numerous netizens mocked Vance for lacking basic empathy; political debate intensified across party lines — Republicans downplayed it as an innocent mistake, while Democrats seized the moment to launch sustained attacks.
The incident was first reported by authoritative U.S. media outlets, with domestic Chinese media beginning to re-publish coverage starting September 1.
Micro-commentary: The 9/11 attacks resulted in nearly 3,000 deaths — the deadliest terrorist assault on American soil — and has become the nation’s heaviest collective memory and trauma. For the families of victims and survivors, the core meaning of this day is mourning and remembrance. Using the word “celebrate” completely contradicts the solemn and reverent tone of such an occasion, widely perceived as disrespectful to the deceased and as a second wound to grieving families. This explains why reactions from victims’ families and public opinion were so intense after the incident — many insisted, “This anniversary should be for mourning alone.”
After the incident, neither Vance nor the White House issued an official public apology statement, nor did they confirm whether private apologies were made to the victims’ families. This ambiguous, “half-void” handling has fueled ongoing public frustration.
The White House has confirmed that Vance will attend the 25th anniversary commemoration ceremony in New York. Given that political opponents (the Democrats) have chosen to refrain from action out of concern not to “exploit national tragedy again,” any misstep Vance makes at the ceremony will be scrutinized under a magnifying glass. If another gaffe occurs, the verbal slip could escalate into a full-fledged political crisis.
This incident also reflects the deep political polarization within American society. Some commentators pointed out that if a similar verbal blunder had been committed by a Democrat, Republican media would undoubtedly have turned it into a major political scandal. But because Vance is a Republican vice presidential candidate, his supporters tend to dismiss it as an “innocent mistake.” This double standard based on partisan affiliation is a true reflection of America’s current state of political extremism.
In summary, Vance’s “celebrating 9/11” gaffe may appear superficially as a mere language lapse, but it actually reveals how political figures, operating in an intensely polarized election environment, often fail to show sufficient reverence for the nation’s collective memory — and how ineffective their crisis response mechanisms are when confronting deeply emotional wounds.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1875263494490123/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.