President Donald Trump and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth led a formal ceremony at the Pentagon on Sept. 11 to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the 2001 terrorist attacks. The ceremony included remarks from First Lady Melania Trump, Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine, and Condoleezza Rice, who served as secretary of state during the attacks.
During the event, officials read aloud the names of all 184 victims who died in the Pentagon attack. Trump honored the 2,573 people killed at the World Trade Center in New York and the 33 passengers on United Airlines Flight 93 who died over Shanksville, Pennsylvania.
"For 25 years, our best and bravest have kept America safe," Trump said in remarks. Hegseth noted that military members continue to serve in roles that evolved from the response to 9/11, including operations related to Iran policy. Caine, who was present at the Pentagon during the attacks, reflected on the "courageous Americans" he witnessed on that day. Rice spoke about the resilience and sense of obligation demonstrated in the wake of the attacks.
The ceremony was preceded by an early-morning unfurling of the same American flag that was draped over the Pentagon's west wall the day after the 2001 attack.