At a military base in Anchorage, Biden honored the dead by urging unity in our country.

Article by Skylar Musick, Senior White House Producer

ANCHORAGE, Alaska - President Biden led a memorial at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson on Monday, commemorating the 22nd anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.

Biden spoke in front of Alaska-based military members, their families and politicians, including Gov. Mike Dunleavy and Anchorage Mayor Dave Bronson. In part of his speech, Biden relayed the horrific images of that fateful day.

“My fellow Americans, September 11, 2001 tested our strength, our resolve and our courage,” President Biden said. “The billowing smoke and ash, the dark and the clear blue sky that September day. Those shredded steel concrete slabs that rained down from the World Trade Center. The plume of fire that shot up in the sky and Pentagon.”

Although Alaska is far from both the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, the president reminded us that distance does not “dull or diminish the pain.”

“Alaskan communities opened their doors to stranded [airplane] passengers,” Biden said. “American flags sold out in every store, were placed in front of seemingly every home.”

However, Biden has received criticism for not participating in traditional ceremonies at the Pentagon, in New York or at the White House. While on the GOP candidate campaign trail in Iowa, former Vice President Mike Pence shared his sentiments.

"I was very disappointed that President Joe Biden was not at ground zero or the Pentagon or in Shanksville,” Pence said. “Look, I know it's been 22 years, but I think these are moments where the leader of this country has the ability to pay a debt of gratitude, to remember those that were lost that day, but also to remember the heroes that were forged that day, and everyday since for the last 22 years.”

Vice President Kamala Harris attended the commemoration ceremony at ground zero in Manhattan on Monday to represent the administration. Many local leaders stood beside her, including Democrats Gov. Kathy Hochul and Mayor Eric Adams.

According to the Associated Press, Biden is now the first president to commemorate the 9/11 attacks in the western U.S. White House aides said he wanted to observe the anniversary with service members and first responders at a military base, The Washington Post reported.

“I join you on this day to renew our sacred vow: Never forget. Never forget. We never forget,” Biden said to the nearly 1,100 service members and their families in a large aircraft hangar.

Most notably, Biden called for unity in our country and decried terrorism, both foreign and domestic.

“We must not succumb to the poisonous politics of difference and division. We must never allow ourselves to be pulled apart by petty, manufactured grievances. We must continue to stand united.”

Biden added that national unity is how we respect those who died on September 11, 2001.

"It shouldn't take a national tragedy to remind us of the power of national unity, but that's how we truly honor those we lost on 9/11," he said. “By remembering what we can do together. To remember what was destroyed, what we repaired. What was threatened, that we fortified. What was attacked, and an indomitable American spirit prevailed over all of it.”

Finally, the president expressed his confidence in U.S. efforts to combat terrorism.

“We’re going to continue to track terrorist threats in all forms, wherever it may be,” he said. “We’re going to disrupt terrorist activity wherever we may find it. And I will never hesitate to do what is necessary to defend the American people.”

Watch the president’s remarks below.