US marks 25th anniversary of 9/11 as Trump attends Pentagon and former leaders gather in New York

Ground Zero commemorations

On 11 September 2026, the United States marked the 25th anniversary of the 2001 terrorist attacks, holding remembrance ceremonies across New York, Virginia, and Pennsylvania. At the World Trade Center site in Lower Manhattan, relatives of the deceased gathered around the memorial pools to read the names of the victims, accompanied by the tolling of a bell seven times to mark key moments. Four former US presidents attended the New York gathering together: George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, and Joe Biden, each accompanied by their spouses. Vice President JD Vance also represented the federal administration at Ground Zero, where 2,753 people died in 2001 and nearly 10,000 individuals have since died from toxic exposure. Firefighter John Fila described the ongoing grief felt by first responders.

Each year is a very difficult time for us, and this year even more so because we reach the milestone of 25 years.

Political presence and city leadership

The ceremony in Lower Manhattan took place under strict police security without the presence of President Donald Trump, who chose to observe the anniversary elsewhere following a rule established in 2012 that excludes political speeches from the memorial. Prominently positioned among dignitaries was 34-year-old New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, the first Muslim mayor in the history of the city, who took his oath of office on a Quran. Although conservative critics, including former mayor Rudy Giuliani, had called on Mamdani to boycott the ceremony, and an online petition garnered over 100,000 signatures opposing his attendance, Mamdani and Giuliani exchanged handshakes and greetings at the site. In a video address, Mamdani reflected on the sacrifice of rescue workers and residents.

We remember 9/11, the darkest day in the history of our city, but we also remember what so many New Yorkers did in the midst of that darkness.

Pentagon ceremony and national toll

In Arlington, Virginia, Donald Trump attended a ceremony inside the Pentagon complex near the site where American Airlines Flight 77 struck the western facade on 11 September 2001. The morning began with the recitation of the names of the 184 victims who died at the military headquarters, which concluded at 09:32. Before Trump spoke later in the morning, addresses were delivered by Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Caine, former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. Trump focused his address on national defense while recalling the national unity experienced immediately following the 2001 attacks.

On that day we were all New Yorkers.

Initiatives to preserve memory

Demographic changes have altered the public memory of the attacks, with approximately 100 million Americans born after 2001 and one in three New York residents either unborn or too young to remember that day. In response, the New York City Council approved measures to preserve awareness among younger generations, including renaming 26 streets and public spaces after victims. The municipality also committed $75 million (approximately €65 million) to expand educational curriculum and fund 20,000 free admission passes for students to visit the 9/11 Memorial & Museum.