US marks 25th anniversary of 9/11 attacks with memorials

The United States marked the 25th anniversary of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on Friday with ceremonies at the three sites struck by hijacked airliners, honoring the 2,977 victims and reflecting on the enduring national trauma. Memorial events were held at the National September 11 Memorial in New York City, the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, and the Flight 93 National Memorial in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. At the Pentagon ceremony, President Donald Trump delivered remarks linking the remembrance to the ongoing U.S. conflict with Iran. "We will never, ever forget. That's why we fight today," Trump stated. He praised U.S. troops and said the nation is "ensuring that Iran will never have a nuclear weapon" and "will finish this fight." Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth also spoke, connecting the attacks to the current war. "Over the past six months, we have laid waste to the world's most prolific state sponsor of terrorism," Hegseth said, referring to Iran. In New York, Vice President JD Vance attended the ceremony alongside former Presidents George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, and Joe Biden.