Twenty-five years after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, Americans are commemorating the anniversary by remembering the nearly 3,000 lives lost and the profound consequences that followed.
The day is marked by memorial rituals including wreath-laying ceremonies, flag-flying, moments of silence, vigils, and the reading of victims' names. For many, it is also a day for private reflection or educational purposes, recalling a singular morning that irrevocably altered the nation's trajectory.
Al-Qaida extremists hijacked four commercial airplanes on that day, crashing two into New York’s World Trade Center, one into the Pentagon near Washington, and the fourth into a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, after passengers and crew fought back against the hijackers. The impacts led to the collapse of the World Trade Center's twin towers and significant damage to the Pentagon.
President Donald Trump, who was in New York on Sept. 11, 2001, and has frequently shared his memories of the day, is slated to attend the Pentagon's anniversary ceremony. Former Presidents George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, and Joe Biden, along with current Vice President JD Vance, gathered for an observance at the National Sept. 11 Memorial in New York. Other officials attended a ceremony at the Flight 93 National Memorial in Pennsylvania.
Remembrances are planned nationwide, from New Hampshire to Mississippi to Hawaii, extending beyond the primary attack sites.
In New York, the traditional ceremony at Ground Zero involves victims' relatives reading the names of those who perished. For the first time this year, a moment of silence will honor individuals who died from illnesses contracted after exposure to toxic dust from the collapsed towers. The long-term health consequences of the attacks continue to be a significant concern.
The attacks initiated a U.S.-led global war on terrorism, leading to invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq, detentions of terror suspects, and the eventual killing of al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden in 2011. Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the accused mastermind of the attacks, remains in custody 23 years after his capture. The events also led to significant changes in U.S. air travel, federal surveillance, intelligence gathering, and banking regulations, sparking ongoing debates about the balance between security and civil liberties.
The creation of the Department of Homeland Security, numerous state anti-terrorism laws, and billions in counterterrorism funding are direct results of the post-9/11 environment, as is the public vigilance campaign epitomized by the slogan "If you see something, say something."
While 9/11 spurred a wave of patriotism and a desire among some to join public service, it also fueled mistrust and hate crimes directed at Muslim Americans. In the 25 years since, Muslim Americans have become more prominent in public life, though some, like New York City's first Muslim mayor, Zohran Mamdani, have faced criticism for participating in anniversary events. Mamdani, who was an elementary school student in New York on 9/11, stated his intention for the anniversary to focus on victims' families and first responders.
Congress has designated Sept. 11 as Patriot Day and a National Day of Service and Remembrance. Organizations like 9/11 Day promote volunteer opportunities as a way to honor the victims, with events such as pausing Times Square billboards at 9:11 a.m. to display the time.
