President Trump speaks at the Pentagon as America marks 25 years since 9/11, honoring victims, first responders and the enduring legacy of the attacks.
President Donald Trump is speaking at the Pentagon on Friday as the United States marks the 25th anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks, honoring the 184 people killed when American Airlines Flight 77 struck the building in 2001.
Trump’s appearance comes during a day of solemn commemorations across the country. Nearly 3,000 people were killed in the attacks on the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, forever changing the course of American history.
Trump honors Pentagon victims
The president’s Pentagon appearance is centered on remembering the victims and the military and civilian personnel who were targeted in the attack.
The ceremony includes a reading of the names of those killed at the Pentagon and the ceremonial unfurling of a massive American flag, underscoring the solemn nature of the 25th-anniversary observance.
Trump’s appearance marks his second consecutive year attending the Pentagon’s 9/11 memorial ceremony. He previously participated in commemorations at the Pentagon during his first presidential term.
The Pentagon was struck at 9:37 a.m. on September 11, 2001, when hijackers took control of Flight 77. The attack killed 184 people at the building and aboard the aircraft.
America marks 25 years since 9/11
Friday’s anniversary has prompted ceremonies at all three major sites connected to the attacks.
In New York City, Vice President JD Vance joined former presidents at the World Trade Center memorial, where victims’ names were read and moments of silence were observed.
The anniversary observances also included a new moment of remembrance for people who died from illnesses associated with toxic exposure following the attacks. First responders and other survivors have faced serious health consequences in the years since the World Trade Center towers collapsed.
In Pennsylvania, ceremonies were held at the Flight 93 National Memorial in Shanksville, where United Airlines Flight 93 crashed after passengers fought back against the hijackers.
9/11’s lasting impact
The September 11 attacks killed 2,977 people and triggered sweeping changes in U.S. national security and foreign policy.
The attacks led to the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan and eventually the war in Iraq, while Congress expanded federal counterterrorism and surveillance powers. The creation of the Department of Homeland Security was another major consequence of the attacks.
Twenty-five years later, the anniversary remains a deeply emotional moment for victims’ families, survivors, first responders and Americans who remember the events of that morning.
Trump’s appearance at the Pentagon places the president at one of the most significant sites of the attacks as the country pauses to remember those who died and reflect on the enduring consequences of September 11.
The 25th anniversary ceremonies are also serving as a reminder to younger generations who were born after the attacks of the lives lost and the extraordinary acts of courage displayed by first responders and ordinary Americans on that day.
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