United States and international allies mark 25 years since 11 September attacks

Commemorative ceremonies across attack sites

United States officials and international bodies are observing the 25th anniversary of the 11 September 2001 attacks on Friday with memorial events at the three impact locations. President Donald Trump is scheduled to attend the ceremony at the Pentagon near Washington, while Vice President JD Vance is attending the commemoration at Ground Zero in New York City. Official delegations are also gathering in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, where the fourth hijacked aircraft crashed into an open field. The day of remembrance commemorates the 2,977 victims killed during the suicide hijackings, including nine Portuguese nationals and Portuguese descendants.

The sequence and toll of the 2001 strikes

On the morning of 11 September 2001, 19 hijackers affiliated with Al-Qaeda took control of four commercial airliners. American Airlines Flight 11 struck the North Tower of the World Trade Center at 08:46 Eastern time, followed 17 minutes later by United Airlines Flight 175 striking the South Tower. American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon at 09:37, and United Airlines Flight 93 went down in Shanksville at 10:03 after passengers revolted against the attackers. The South Tower collapsed 56 minutes after impact at 09:59, and the North Tower imploded at 10:29.

The strikes resulted in 2,753 fatalities in New York, 184 deaths at the Pentagon, and 59 fatalities in Pennsylvania, excluding the 19 attackers. Only slightly more than 1,600 victims have been formally identified. In addition to the casualties on the day of the attacks, an estimated 9,400 people have died from illnesses linked to exposure at Ground Zero.

Global institutions and political tributes

International organizations and political assemblies also held formal observances ahead of Friday. The United Nations Security Council scheduled a dedicated debate on counter-terrorism in New York, while the NATO headquarters in Brussels hosted a ceremony with permanent representatives to mark the only activation of Article 5 in the alliance's history. UN Secretary-General António Guterres did not attend the New York events because of travel to the 18th BRICS summit in New Delhi. At a UN briefing on Thursday, deputy spokesperson Farhan Haq addressed the anniversary.

Twenty-five years ago, the terrible terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001, an attack against humanity itself, claimed thousands of lives and left an indelible mark on our world.

In Dallas, Texas, the Republican midterm convention paused its proceedings on Thursday evening at the American Airlines Center. Delegates held a period of darkness and silence while viewing footage of the rescue operations and hearing an invocation by opera singer Christopher Macchio.

Long-term aftermath and community impact

The attacks reshaped emergency services and altered civil life in New York. Among emergency workers, 343 firefighters died at the World Trade Center. In the decades following, 58 children of fallen firefighters joined the New York City Fire Department, including Scott Larsen, whose father died during the collapse when Larsen was four years old. Muslim communities in the city encountered increased government surveillance and public harassment following the attacks. Local historian Asad Dandia reflected on navigating that environment over the quarter-century.

I do not deserve to be targeted because of what happened, and in that sense, I am as much of a New Yorker as anyone else.