The United States commemorated the 25th anniversary of the devastating September 11, 2001 attacks Friday with a poignant ceremony in New York marked by President Donald Trump's absence and searing criticism from victims' relatives.
In an unusual move, Trump paid his respects at the Pentagon, not the event in New York, where hijacked planes destroyed the World Trade Center and most of the 2,977 victims were killed, upending the global status quo.
The Republican billionaire sought to link the "war on terror" that followed 9/11, which sparked years of US involvement in Middle East wars, with his current conflict in Iran.
"Today we renew the sacred oath that we first swore in their names a quarter of a century ago. We will never, ever forget. That's why we fight today," Trump said.
"We don't have a choice. There can only be victory. We fight hard. We fight to win."
