By Michelle Ndaga
Twenty-four years after the deadliest terror attack on American soil, the United States paused today in solemn remembrance of September 11, 2001, a day that forever altered the nation’s history.
President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump arrived at the Pentagon for the annual commemoration, accompanied by Pentagon Chief Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine.
The gathering brought together survivors, families of the victims, senior military officials, and government leaders in a collective moment of reflection and resolve.
Across New York City, Shanksville, Pennsylvania, and other parts of the country, flags flew at half-staff and moments of silence were observed at the exact times the four hijacked planes struck their targets.
These traditions, now part of the national fabric, serve as a reminder of both loss and resilience.
On the morning of September 11, 2001, 19 al-Qaeda hijackers seized four commercial airplanes in coordinated suicide attacks. Two planes crashed into the Twin Towers of New York’s World Trade Center, causing the towers to collapse.
A third struck the Pentagon the heart of U.S. military command while the fourth, United Flight 93, crashed in a field near Shanksville after passengers courageously overpowered the hijackers, preventing a likely strike on the U.S. Capitol.
Nearly 3,000 lives were lost, including firefighters, police officers, and other first responders who ran toward danger to save others. The attacks sparked sweeping security reforms, reshaped global counterterrorism strategies, and led to two decades of U.S. military engagement in Afghanistan and Iraq.
For many Americans, 9/11 remains more than a historical event it is a personal memory that continues to shape the country’s approach to security, service, and national unity. Each year, the anniversary is both a day of mourning and a reaffirmation of shared values.
Though the events of that day grow more distant in time, their impact endures in public policy, global relations, and in the hearts of those who lived through it.
Today’s commemorations were as much about honoring the fallen as they were about recommitting to a future defined by strength, unity, and vigilance.
