In 2001, after learning that hijacked planes deliberately flew into the World Trade Center, President George W. Bush addressed the nation for the first time.
Bush learned of the attacks during an event with schoolchildren in Florida, choosing first to finish reading a storybook to the children. When Bush finally got behind the podium, he spoke of grief, but also strength.
“Today, we’ve had a national tragedy,” he said. “Two airplanes have crashed into the World Trade Center in an apparent terrorist attack on our country.”
“I have spoken to the Vice President, to the governor of New York, to the director of the FBI, and I’ve ordered that the full resources of the federal government go to help the victims and their families and to conduct a full-scale investigation to hunt down and to find those who committed this act,” Bush continued.
“Terrorism against our nation will not stand,” he declared, before leading a moment of silence for the victims.
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