Americans mark 25 years since September 11 attacks

On the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks, Americans gathered to remember the nearly 3,000 victims killed when hijacked planes struck the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and a field in Pennsylvania. Family members, many holding pictures of their loved ones, joined the ceremony at Ground Zero in New York, which began with a moment of silence at 8:46 a.m. ET to commemorate the moment American Airlines Flight 11 crashed into the North Tower.

Victims' family members recited the names of all 2,977 individuals who died on September 11, including the six killed in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing. As time passed, additional moments of silence marked when the other three planes crashed and the towers collapsed. For the first time, a seventh memorial was dedicated to those who have died since 2001 from illnesses related to the toxic dust released in the aftermath of the attacks.

Vice President JD Vance and four former U.S. presidents attended the ceremony, emphasizing the long-lasting consequences of the attacks. At the Pentagon, President Donald Trump shared stories of some of the victims aboard American Airlines Flight 77, which crashed into the building's west flank, killing 184. Both Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth used their remarks to advocate for a war in Iran, claiming it was necessary to prevent Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons.

In Shanksville, Pennsylvania, mourners gathered at the crash site where United Airlines Flight 93 was brought down by passengers, preventing it from reaching Washington. The attacks had a profound impact on generations of Americans, shaping U.S. foreign policy, domestic politics, and public attitudes toward security. However, the anniversary is particularly poignant for the victims' families, friends, first responders, and rescue workers who continue to grapple with the heartbreak that followed the tragedy.