Updated

Updated · Fox News · Aug 29

Trump Confirms Pentagon Appearance for 9/11's 25th Anniversary as He Rejects Ground Zero Snub Report

Updated

Updated · Fox News · Aug 29

Trump Confirms Pentagon Appearance for 9/11's 25th Anniversary as He Rejects Ground Zero Snub Report

Q: With officials scattered across three locations, what unique tributes will unfold at the Pentagon and Shanksville memorials this year?

At the Pentagon, the central tribute is expected to be the president’s appearance and remarks, paired with the memorial’s traditional honors for those killed there and aboard American Airlines Flight 77. Based on recent Pentagon observances, that means a formal ceremony focused on victims’ families and first responders, with wreath-laying and other military honors at the Pentagon Memorial, where 184 victims are commemorated. In Shanksville, the Flight 93 memorial’s focus remains distinct: honoring the 40 passengers and crew whose resistance changed the course of the attacks. While the White House has only said administration officials will be present, Flight 93 commemorations typically center on the names and stories of the 40, the crash-site remembrance, and the symbolism of citizen courage and sacrifice. The National Park Service and Friends of Flight 93 have also been preparing special 25th-anniversary programming tied to that legacy. So, while New York’s observance is built around family name-readings and moments of silence, the Pentagon ceremony is likely to feature a more formal presidential and military tribute, and Shanksville will uniquely emphasize the heroism of Flight 93’s passengers and crew at the site where they fought back.

2 articles · Updated · Fox News · Aug 29

Trump said after landing at Joint Base Andrews that he will mark the Sept. 11 25th anniversary at the Pentagon, answering questions about why he will not be at Ground Zero.
The White House said Vice President JD Vance will still travel to New York City and administration officials will attend all three attack sites—Manhattan, the Pentagon and Shanksville, Pennsylvania.
Trump and aides forcefully disputed a New York Times report that he skipped Ground Zero because he would not be allowed to speak, noting the annual ceremony has barred politicians from speaking since 2012.
The choice largely follows Trump’s recent pattern: he spoke at the Pentagon for the 24th anniversary in 2025, last attended the Ground Zero ceremony in 2024, and has alternated among 9/11 memorial sites over the years.
The anniversary marks 25 years since the 2001 attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and aboard Flight 93.