Trump says he will observe the 25th anniversary of 9/11 at the Pentagon

President Donald Trump announced his plans to observe the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks at the Pentagon. The former president confirmed his attendance during a press conference on Friday. Vice President JD Vance will be present at the New York observance, while other administration officials will attend the ceremony in Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

This year marks the quarter-century since al-Qaida militants hijacked planes and carried out attacks that claimed nearly 3,000 lives across three locations, significantly altering American foreign policy and national security. Following his return from Houston, Trump was questioned by reporters about his absence from the New York ceremony, which some media outlets had reported.

He explained that he would be attending the Pentagon event instead. In a social media post, Trump described September 11 as "a day to remember the victims and their beautiful family members." Last year, Trump commemorated the anniversary at the Pentagon, delivering remarks that included snippets of conversations from passengers on the hijacked planes.

The president, who hails from New York, last attended the ground zero ceremony in 2024. Vance had intended to be in New York for the anniversary last year but instead traveled to Salt Lake City to be with the family of Charlie Kirk following the activist's assassination.