9/11 victim’s daughter reveals Trump’s response to families’ urgent plea: ‘It felt personal’
9‑11 Widow Meets President Trump in Dallas to Push for Renewal of Victims’ Fund
Dallas – On the evening of the 25th‑anniversary commemoration of the September 11, 2001 attacks, Angela Mistrulli, the founder of the American Victims of State‑Sponsored Terrorism (AVSSTU) and a 9‑11 widow, met with former President Donald J. Trump to discuss the future of a federal relief fund that has helped more than 22,000 families of terrorism victims. The meeting took place at the Republican National Committee’s midterm convention in Dallas, where Mistrulli and a group of survivors, Gold Star families and other civilian victims sought to secure an extension of the United States Victims of State‑Sponsored Terrorism (USVSST) Fund before its September 30 fiscal deadline.
The USVSST Fund, established in 2015, has distributed over $10 billion to families and individuals harmed by state‑sponsored terrorism—including those who lost loved ones in the 9‑11 attacks. The fund was designed to provide financial assistance, personal representation, and support services to victims. However, the money in the account has been depleted, and Congress must act before the end of the fiscal year to keep the program alive.
Mistrulli told Fox News Digital that the president’s willingness to listen “was not just a policy issue to him; it felt personal.” She said Trump’s empathy gave her confidence that the administration will pursue a legislative solution this year. “We are now working with members of the Administration on a legislative path forward this year for the USVSST Fund, which is a vital lifeline for over 22,000 American victims of terrorism, including 9‑11 families,” she added.
The 9‑11 anniversary is a time of remembrance and reflection for the nation. Mistrulli noted that 25 years after the attacks, the country “has come so far away from who we were on September 12.” She said the anniversary also highlights the persistent need for justice, transparency, recognition and relief that Congress promised to the families of terrorism victims.
“It’s a hard one this year. 25 years. It feels like forever, but it also feels like yesterday. It’s also disappointing because I feel like our country has come so far away from who we were on September 12th,” Mistrulli said. “It’s exhausting that it’s been 25 years of us fighting for justice.”
She added that the AVSSTU team had been invited to participate in the Dallas commemoration and that the event was an opportunity “not only to memorialize the 25th anniversary of 9‑11, but also to try to get some face time with these leaders and these higher ups to be able to discuss this urgent and critical topic.”
Mistrulli’s remarks were echoed by other members of the AVSSTU and by survivors who gathered at the convention. The group sought to ensure that the funding for victims remains uninterrupted and that the federal government continues to honor its commitment to those who were harmed by state‑sponsored terrorism.
As the September 30 deadline looms, the legislative path forward will involve Congressional hearings, budget negotiations and likely a bipartisan effort to reinstate the USVSST Fund. The outcome could shape the financial and emotional support available to the families of the 9‑11 victims and to those impacted by other acts of terrorism around the world.
In closing, Mistrulli urged Americans to unite in remembrance. “We have now been divided as a nation and my wish to everyone out there as we commemorate this anniversary, memorialize, never forget by coming back together,” she said, reminding the country that the moral obligation to victims must endure beyond political divides.
The 9‑11 anniversary has once again highlighted the enduring pain of those who lost family members on that fateful day, and the need for the nation to act to honor their memory and provide lasting relief.