President Donald Trump speaks to reporters before he boards Air Force One at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, Thursday, Sept. 10, 2026, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is set to observe Friday’s 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks by attending a ceremony at the Pentagon commemorating the lives lost when al-Qaida militants hijacked planes and killed nearly 3,000 people in three locations, upending American foreign policy and national security.
It’s the second year in a row for Trump to mark the day at the Pentagon. The president, who is originally from New York, last attended the ground zero ceremony there in 2024.
Vice President JD Vance is set to attend the New York observance alongside former presidents, while other administration officials will go to the ceremony in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. Vance had planned to be in New York for the anniversary last year but instead flew to Salt Lake City to be with the family of Charlie Kirk after the conservative activist was assassinated.
During last year’s commemoration at the Pentagon, Trump delivered remarks recounting moments from the day of the attacks, including snippets of conversations from passengers who were aboard the hijacked airplanes.
