President Trump said Friday he was "99 percent" sure he could have given a speech at the New York City 9/11 ceremony if he wanted to, pushing back against reports suggesting he did not attend because organizers would not permit him to speak.
"It's just not true. I didn't demand to speak," Trump told Sid Rosenberg on 77 WABC radio Friday. "I'm sure if I wanted to speak, they would have let me," he said, noting that he is president and knows "the guys down there."
The New York Times reported last month that the president's team told organizers of New York City's ceremony that he would like to speak. The National September 11 Memorial and Museum has maintained a ban on speeches from politicians at the ceremony since 2012.
Trump said he did not feel compelled to speak at the event. "I speak enough, the last thing I want to do is speak," he joked. "I don't need it for any reason," he added.
Trump singled out New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman, who was among the reporters behind the original report about his request to speak.