U.S. Ambassador Pete Hoekstra Visits Gander to Thank 9/11 Hosts — Trip Draws Canadian Backlash

U.S. Ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra traveled to Gander, Newfoundland, on the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks to thank the residents who sheltered thousands of stranded American passengers in 2001. The visit honors the town's humanitarian response during a crisis but has drawn criticism because of the ambassador's public support for President Donald Trump and his combative rhetoric toward Canada.

Hoekstra's Statement

"The terrorist attacks of September 11 left a lasting mark on me and our nation, but during a very dark time, the people of Newfoundland showed us what true community really means," Hoekstra said in a statement to POLITICO. "On this 25th anniversary, I am returning to say a heartfelt thank you not just on behalf of those who were stranded, but for an entire nation that remains moved by Gander's generosity."

Controversy And Reaction

Not everyone in Gander — or across Canada — has welcomed the ambassador. Hoekstra has publicly embraced a confrontational posture toward Canada, including echoing President Trump’s taunts and engaging in disputes with Canadian officials. Those actions have prompted public anger: more than 268,000 Canadians have signed a nonbinding petition calling for the ambassador to be expelled.

The U.S. Embassy has not engaged with the petition, and Hoekstra proceeded with the visit, saying he planned to spend the day meeting locals "who opened their hearts and homes and honoring the enduring bond built that week." The municipality of Gander acknowledged residents' frustration and said the invitation was "not an endorsement of any individual, their comments or their political views."

Remembering Operation Yellow Ribbon

During Operation Yellow Ribbon in the hours after the Sept. 11 attacks, thousands of flights were diverted to Canadian airports. Gander International Airport received 38 aircraft carrying nearly 7,000 passengers. With a town population of roughly 10,000, Gander did not have enough hotel rooms, so residents opened their homes while schools, churches and community halls became makeshift dormitories. Locals prepared meals, offered showers and beds, filled prescriptions at no cost and organized concerts and bowling nights to lift spirits. Flights eventually departed on Sept. 13, 2001, but the personal bonds forged there endured.

Keeping The Story Alive

For years the town has worked to preserve the Gander story as a symbol of people-to-people ties between Canadians and Americans. In 2017, then-Prime Minister Justin Trudeau invited Ivanka Trump to see the Tony Award-winning musical "Come From Away," which dramatizes the town's response to 9/11 — an effort intended to show that bilateral relations can transcend political disagreements.

Voices On The Visit

Former U.S. Ambassador to Canada David Cohen, a Biden appointee, called criticism aimed at Hoekstra "misplaced," saying, "Pete Hoekstra is the personal representative of Donald Trump. You shouldn't be angry at Ambassador Hoekstra. You should be angry at Donald Trump." Cohen added that Hoekstra is determined to personally thank the people of Gander despite knowing some may be unhappy to see him.

The Gander town council reiterated the community's central message: the town's response to Sept. 11 was about humanity and solidarity, not politics. "There are times when we will disagree," the council said. "There are also times when we have to recognize that something is bigger than those differences."