US holds memorials for the 9/11 attacks, 25 years later
Americans held ceremonies in New York, Virginia and Pennsylvania to mark the 25th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks, which killed nearly 3,000 people when hijacked planes struck the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and a field in Pennsylvania. Relatives read victims' names at Ground Zero while separate observances took place at the Pentagon and the Flight 93 crash site near Shanksville.
Why It Matters
The commemorations underscore the lasting human and national impact of the attacks, which prompted a decades-long US campaign against terrorism and left long-term health consequences for survivors and first responders. Government disclosures and public health estimates have highlighted ongoing debates over accountability and care for those exposed to toxic dust after the towers fell.
Key Facts
- anniversary: 25th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks
- death-toll: Nearly 3,000 people killed
- sites: World Trade Center (New York), Pentagon (Arlington, Virginia), field near Shanksville (Pennsylvania)
- ground-zero-ceremony: Relatives of victims read names at the Ground Zero memorial, beside the two reflecting pools that mark the towers' footprints; a memorial and museum now occupy the site
- flight-77: American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon, killing 184 people
Commemorations were held across the United States as the nation observed the 25th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks. In New York City, family members gathered at Ground Zero — where the Twin Towers once stood — to read aloud the names of those who died, a ritual carried out each year beside the two reflecting pools that mark the towers' footprints. A memorial and museum now occupy the site where the buildings collapsed after being struck by hijacked commercial jets.
In Arlington, Virginia, mourners assembled at the Pentagon to remember the 184 people killed when American Airlines Flight 77 struck the building. Former President Donald Trump and Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth were among those who addressed the crowd; Trump said the days after the attacks revealed the nation's spirit and that the last 25 years have shown Americans' ability to endure and prevail.
Families also gathered near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, for a ceremony honoring the 40 people aboard United Airlines Flight 93. Passengers and crew are credited with mounting a revolt that prevented attackers from reaching their intended target in Washington, D.C., and the aircraft instead crashed into a rural field. Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro ordered state flags to fly at half-staff in recognition of the bravery shown that day.
The September 11 attacks reshaped US policy, ushering in what has been described as a 'global war on terror' that included US-led military campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan. The anniversary also drew attention to long-term health effects: New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani released government records indicating officials had known about risks of toxic exposure after the towers fell, and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates about 400,000 people were exposed to harmful chemicals, with thousands believed to have died from conditions such as cancer in the 25 years since the attacks.
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