Biden to visit 9/11 sites to mark 20th anniversary of terrorist attacks

Biden is following a precedent set by former President Barack Obama, who visited all three 9/11 sites on Sept. 11, 2011, the 10th anniversary of the attacks.

The 20th anniversary comes just days after the complete withdrawal of US troops from Taliban-controlled Afghanistan. The exit has been controversial as countless US allies and Americans have been left behind.

As a consequence of the conflicted exit, Biden has seen a dive in his favorability polls. Only 26 percent of Americans approve of Biden's handling of the Afghanistan withdrawal and his numbers on domestic issues are not much better, with only 39 percent saying he's handling the economy well.

Biden also had some trouble around his attendance at the 9/11 memorial sites as families of those lost stated they would not welcome the president unless he declassifies documents related to the attacks. Biden then signed an executive order to review and declassify those documents.

"When I ran for president, I made a commitment to ensuring transparency regarding the declassification of documents on the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on America," Biden said in a White House statement. "As we approach the 20th anniversary of that tragic day, I am honoring that commitment."