On the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks, President Donald Trump attended a ceremony held at the Pentagon, paying tribute to the nearly 3,000 lives lost when al-Qaida militants hijacked planes. The attacks profoundly impacted American foreign policy and national security.
President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump listened solemnly as the names of the 184 individuals killed at the Pentagon were read aloud, with a bell tolling in remembrance after each name. In his speech, Trump recounted poignant stories of the victims, emphasizing that the devastating moments have ultimately fortified American resolve. “We will never, ever forget,” Trump declared. He underscored that the nation’s ongoing fight is a necessity.
At daybreak, despite inclement weather, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and high-ranking military officials stood outside, observing as a giant American flag was unfurled at the Pentagon, the site of one of the attacks, marking the solemn occasion with respect. This year marked the second consecutive year that Trump commemorated the anniversary at the Pentagon, as he had previously attended the Ground Zero ceremony in New York City in 2024.
In conjunction with the Pentagon ceremony, Vice President JD Vance participated in the memorial events held in New York alongside former presidents. Other officials from the Trump administration attended the ceremony in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. Vance, who had initially planned to commemorate the anniversary in New York last year, had to adjust his plans to attend the family of Charlie Kirk after the conservative activist was tragically killed.
During the New York remembrance, a widow of a 9/11 victim, Terry Strada, expressed her disappointment with the relationship between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia. Strada, who lost her husband Tom Strada on 9/11, challenged Trump to hold the Saudis accountable and criticized past administrations for prioritizing relations with the kingdom over supporting 9/11 families. As one of the family members who read the names of victims this year, she urged Trump and Vance to advocate for the families still seeking justice.
Strada is part of a group pursuing a long-standing lawsuit against Saudi Arabia, alleging that extremist religious leaders within the kingdom conspired with the hijackers. Notably, fifteen of the nineteen hijackers were of Saudi nationality, although the Saudi government has consistently denied any complicity in the attacks.
Trump's remarks not only acknowledged the tragedy but sought to link the aftermath of 9/11 to the ongoing war with Iran. He commended the service members tasked with preventing the Iranian regime, which he labeled as the “world's No. 1 sponsor of terror,” from acquiring nuclear weapons. Meanwhile, Hegseth proclaimed the military's achievements against what he termed Iran's terrorism over the past decades.
The commemorative events also included reflections on the possibility of preventing the 9/11 attacks. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin spoke at the agency’s headquarters, celebrating how the department has worked to avert similar tragedies since its establishment post-9/11. However, Mullin acknowledged that there were “failures along the way,” alluding to warnings issued by Osama bin Laden prior to the attacks about his intentions against the United States.
Condoleezza Rice, the national security adviser during the 9/11 attacks, participated in the Pentagon commemoration. She expressed her enduring sorrow for the pain experienced by the families of victims and the collective trauma suffered by the nation. Rice stated, “I will always carry deep personal remorse for the pain that you, the families of the fallen, still feel.”
This annual remembrance serves as both a tribute to those lost and a reminder of the ongoing challenges faced in the arena of national security and foreign relations.
