President Donald Trump announced Friday that he will mark the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks at a ceremony held at the Pentagon. Vice President JD Vance will attend the observance in New York, while other members of the administration are scheduled to participate in the ceremony in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, according to statements from the White House.
The September 11 attacks, carried out by al-Qaida militants using hijacked aircraft, resulted in nearly 3,000 deaths across three locations and significantly reshaped American foreign policy and national security priorities. The 25th anniversary milestone marks a quarter-century since the attacks occurred.
When questioned by reporters near Air Force One following his return from Houston on Friday, Trump clarified his decision to attend the Pentagon ceremony rather than the New York observance. In a social media post the same day, Trump characterized September 11 as “a day to remember the victims, and their beautiful family members.” Trump previously attended the Pentagon anniversary ceremony last year, where he delivered remarks reflecting on events from that day, including accounts from passengers aboard the hijacked planes. The president, who is from New York originally, last attended the ground zero ceremony in 2024.
Vance had been scheduled to attend the New York ceremony the previous year but changed his plans to travel to Salt Lake City to be with the family of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, who had been assassinated.
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