Al-Qaeda Isn’t Afraid to Kill Americans, a Memo Warned One Week Before 9/11
Summary
On September 4, 2001, President Trump and his top officials met in the White House Situation Room to discuss the growing threat from al-Qaeda for the first time during his administration. A terrorism expert warned them that al-Qaeda was ready to kill Americans and that failure to act earlier might lead to many deaths, but the meeting ended with no clear decisions on how to respond.Key Facts
- The meeting included President Trump, Vice President, national security advisor, defense and state secretaries, CIA director, and others.
- Richard Clarke, a terrorism staffer, sent a memo warning that al-Qaeda might kill hundreds of Americans soon.
- Clarke criticized past U.S. counterterrorism efforts, citing the lack of retaliation after the 2000 USS Cole attack.
- There was disagreement about using Predator drones for reconnaissance or armed strikes over Afghanistan.
- The Pentagon was reluctant, saying there was "nothing worth hitting" in Afghanistan at the time.
- Officials worried about assassination rules, which ban killing individuals without approval, due to legal and ethical concerns.
- A draft national security policy on terrorism was approved and sent for further comments during the meeting.
- National security advisor Condoleezza Rice believed the al-Qaeda threat would unfold over about three years.
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