Trump Renews America’s “Never Forget” Vow as Nation Marks 25th Anniversary of 9/11

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump joined Americans in commemorating the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks, honoring victims, first responders and families while renewing the nation’s pledge to remember.

Trump’s remembrance events unfolded across several days, beginning with a September 8 ceremony at the White House Ellipse before the president attended the principal anniversary observance at the Pentagon.

At the Ellipse, Trump stood alongside first responders, Gold Star families and representatives of the Tunnel to Towers Foundation, which brought a massive steel beam recovered from the South Tower.

The 21-foot section of steel traveled more than 10,500 miles across the country during the organization’s Steel Across America tour, serving as a physical reminder of the attacks.

 

 

 

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During the September 8 ceremony, Trump emphasized the heroism of Americans who ran toward danger as terrorists attacked the World Trade Center, Pentagon and Flight 93 in Pennsylvania.

The president also posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Welles Crowther, the financial professional remembered for helping rescue people from the South Tower.

Crowther became known as the “Man in the Red Bandana,” a reference to the distinctive covering he used while helping others escape the burning building.

Trump additionally announced that a new U.S. Coast Guard fast-response cutter would be named in honor of Jeffrey Palazzo, an FDNY firefighter and Coast Guard reservist.

Palazzo was among the 343 New York firefighters killed while responding to the World Trade Center attacks, according to the White House account of the ceremony.

 

 

 

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On September 11, Trump and First Lady Melania Trump attended a solemn ceremony at the Pentagon, where officials remembered the 184 people killed when American Airlines Flight 77 struck the building.

The Pentagon ceremony included the reading of victims’ names, a ceremonial tribute and the display of an American flag as families and officials observed the anniversary.

Vice President JD Vance participated in the New York City commemoration alongside former presidents George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, Barack Obama and Joe Biden.

At Ground Zero, families read the names of those killed, beginning with a moment of silence at 8:46 a.m., when the first hijacked plane struck the North Tower.

The 2026 anniversary was particularly significant because it marked a quarter-century since al-Qaida hijackers carried out coordinated attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people across three locations.

 

 

 

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The anniversary also included recognition of people who died years after the attacks from illnesses linked to toxic dust and other health consequences associated with rescue and recovery efforts.

Across the country, communities marked the anniversary through memorial services, flag displays, moments of silence, vigils and public readings honoring victims and emergency responders.

Trump’s remarks repeatedly emphasized remembrance, national resilience and the courage displayed by ordinary Americans and first responders during one of the darkest moments in modern history.

The White House later released a video carrying Trump’s message that Americans would “never, ever forget,” reinforcing the administration’s emphasis on preserving the memory of September 11.

Twenty-five years later, the attacks continue to influence American national security, foreign policy and public life, while the annual ceremonies remain an important moment of national remembrance.

For Trump, the anniversary provided an opportunity to honor those who died, recognize surviving families and first responders, and reaffirm a message repeated throughout the commemorations: America will never forget.