September 11, 2001 10:33am EDT
PRESIDENT BUSH RESPONDS

The full text of President Bush's reaction to the World Trade Center attacks this morning. The president spoke shortly after 9 a.m. Eastern time.

Ladies and gentlemen, this is a difficult moment for America. I unfortunately will be going back to Washington after my remarks.

Secretary Rod Paige and the lieutenant governor will take the podium and discuss education.

I do want to thank the folks here at the Booker Elementary
School for their hospitality.

Today we've had a national tragedy. Two airplanes have crashed into the World Trade Center in an apparent terrorist attack on our country. I have spoken to the vice president, to the governor of New York, to the director of the FBI, and I've ordered that the full resources of the federal government go to help the victims and their families and to conduct a full-scale investigation to hunt
down and to find those folks who committed this act.

Terrorism against our nation will not stand.

And now if you join me in a moment of silence.

May God bless the victims, their families and America. Thank you very much.