SEPTEMBER 11, 2026 – President Donald J. Trump, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and other distinguished attendees commemorated the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on U.S. soil during a formal ceremony today in the Pentagon’s courtyard.
The two leaders were joined by First Lady Melania Trump; Air Force Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; and Condoleezza Rice, who served as secretary of state during 9/11.
During his remarks before a large gathering of guests that included survivors, first responders and family members of the victims, Trump honored the 184 victims of the attack on the Pentagon, the 2,573 who died in the World Trade Center attack and the 33 passengers who fought against their attackers on United Airlines Flight 93 over Shanksville, Pennsylvania.
“Today we renew the sacred oath that we first swore in their names a quarter of a century ago: we will never, ever forget,” Trump said.
The president also took time to honor all those who responded to the attacks in various capacities — both at the time of the attacks and in the years after — as well as those serving overseas today.
“For 25 years, our best and bravest have kept America safe, and today, we salute every member of the United States military who served in the war on terror. … We salute our first responders and law enforcement — and we love them — and we salute the service members working right now to ensure the world’s No. 1 sponsor of terror, the Islamic Republic of Iran, will never have a nuclear weapon,” Trump said.
Hegseth also spoke highly of those who are currently serving and those who have served over the past 25 years.
“The top 1% of Americans — those that wear the uniform — still keep the watch, [and] we all sleep in peace because we know they stand ready,” he said.
The secretary added that, strengthened by faith, the military will continue to defeat the enemies of the U.S. and protect the republic, “just as the heroes and warriors of 9/11 did. Because, in this nation, in God we trust — in this land, in this place, on [9/11] — and still today,” he said.
During his remarks, Caine reflected on being present at the Pentagon the day of the attacks, and on the many selfless acts he observed amid the chaos.
“So many of us that day, who were here, saw courageous Americans giving that gift. And to the survivors and the families here today, your presence honors those that we lost … and reminds us of your strength — that we continued forward in this building, in New York, and around the country during one of our darkest chapters,” Caine said.
“We can’t restore what was taken from us that day, but we can make and continue to hold a solemn promise: never to forget,” he added.
Rice spoke about her time in Washington on 9/11 and the resilience she saw afterward.
“It is fitting that here at the Pentagon, we reflect not just on what happened here, but what — in that moment of crisis — people did here. They summoned a will and a spirit: a sense of obligation that our military lives by every day,” she said.
Prior to the remarks, the names of each of the 184 victims who lost their lives at the Pentagon were read aloud. The ceremony was preceded by an early-morning unfurling of the same American flag that was draped over the building’s west wall the day after the 2001 attack.
By Matthew Olay
Pentagon News