WASHINGTON – Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump came together following an intense debate the previous night to honor the victims of 9/11 on Wednesday. They exchanged a brief handshake prior to participating in a memorial service at Ground Zero in New York City.

The handshake between Harris and Trump was notably more awkward than their earlier encounter before the debate, as both planned to attend various memorial services throughout the day, starting with the ceremony held at the site of the former twin towers, which were the first targets of the tragic attacks on September 11, 2001.

As family members read aloud the names of those lost, Harris and President Joe Biden positioned themselves in the front row just a short distance from Trump and his running mate, JD Vance.

Later that morning, the candidates were expected to participate in a service in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, the location where a hijacked aircraft crashed during a struggle between the passengers and the hijackers.

In addition, Harris and Biden are set to attend a memorial at the Pentagon, another target on 9/11.

“Today marks a day of deep remembrance as we honor the lives taken during the egregious acts of terrorism on September 11, 2001,” Harris stated ahead of the ceremonies. “We stand united with the families and loved ones of the victims.”

During a phone interview with Fox News, Trump referred to 9/11 as a “very, very sad, terrible day. There’s never been anything quite like it, just a dreadful day.”

Political tensions lingered throughout the ceremony, as one woman yelled at Trump: “Where have you been for the past 20 years? Where were you?”

The 23rd anniversary of 9/11 unfolded the morning after a debate where Harris criticized Trump for his erratic behavior and his conservative economic and military strategies, while Trump vehemently attacked the Biden-Harris administration.

Throughout the debate, Trump also made unsubstantiated claims regarding migrants in an Ohio city supposedly killing and consuming pets.

A CNN “flash poll” revealed that a majority of registered voters who viewed the debate believed Harris performed better than Trump, with a split of 63%-37%.

Even while they took a break from political rhetoric to honor the 9/11 victims, their political campaigns continued in the background.

In his Fox interview, Trump voiced grievances about the debate moderators but still insisted on his strong performance, stating, “I thought I excelled.”

During the debate, Harris seemed to throw Trump off balance by confronting him on multiple topics, including his stance on abortion and poking fun at the size and lack of enthusiasm at his rally crowds.

The day after the debate, Harris’s team circulated fundraising requests celebrating her debate performance but reminded supporters that “winning debates doesn’t secure elections.”

“This race is going to be very close,” Harris mentioned in a fundraising email.