LIV Golf event at Trump's D.C. course bringing out painful memories for 9/11 families
With LIV Golf returning to a property owned by Donald Trump this week, 9/11 Families United recently sent a letter to the Palm Beach resident and former president describing the pain his business relationship with Saudi Arabia is causing the 9/11 community.
LIV, which is financed by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, will stop at Trump National in Potomac Falls, Va., for its seventh event of the season. Three of those tournaments are being played on courses owned by the former president, including Trump National Doral.
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Trump's association with LIV Golf and his willingness to host its tournaments continue to rekindle painful memories for many, including survivors and friends of those who perished. Declassified U.S. intelligence agency files have shown evidence that at least a dozen Saudi officials provided support, financially and logistically, to those who attacked the U.S. on Sept. 11, 2001, killing nearly 3,000. Of the 19 men who hijacked four commercial planes, 15 were citizens of Saudi Arabia.
This week's event is being held 30 miles from the Pentagon, where one of the planes struck, killing all 64 people on the plane and 125 in the Pentagon.
The letter from 9/11 Families United National Chairwoman Terry Strada, whose husband, Tom, died when a plane was flown into the World Trade Center’s north tower, asked for a meeting with Trump at his Virginia club ahead of this week’s event.
Trump has not responded, according to the group. Last year, Trump attended and played in the pro-ams at the LIV events held at his courses in Bedminster, N..J., and Doral, outside of Miami.
After his round at Doral, Trump praised LIV Golf and the Saudis for doing "a fantastic job." He said the PGA Tour "really blew a great opportunity" and called LIV "big time" with "unlimited money."
Strada met with then-President Trump on Sept. 11, 2019, and specifically discussed the U.S. intelligence investigative reports regarding Saudi Arabia and the 9/11 attacks.
Strada asked Trump, who is running for president in 2024, to rethink his business relationship with the kingdom given the personal pain it causes the 9/11 families.
"The Saudis are willing to spend billions (on LIV) to 'sportswash' its horrific reputation and human rights record," she wrote. "According to federal court documents filed earlier this year, Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund has generated virtually no revenue from its sponsorship of the LIV Golf League, despite spending over $784 million to bankroll its first season alone. That of course includes paying an unknown, but likely significant, amount of money to the Trump Organization to host its events."
Many believe LIV is a form of "sportswashing," Saudi Arabia attempting to distract from its atrocious human rights violations.
Some LIV events in its inaugural 2022 season prompted protests and rallies, including at the tournament held at Bedminster, 50 miles from the spot where the World Trade Center's twin towers stood before the attacks.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: 9/11 families send letter to Trump prior to LIV Golf at Trump National Washington
