US marks 25th anniversary of September 11 attacks with ceremonies in New York, Virginia, Pennsylvania
This digest was compiled by AI from multiple sources — links to the originals are below.
Americans gathered in New York, Virginia and Pennsylvania on Friday to mark the 25th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people. President Donald Trump and Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth spoke at the Pentagon ceremony, while relatives read victims' names at Ground Zero.
Key Facts
- Nearly 3,000 people were killed when hijacked planes struck the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and a field in Pennsylvania on September 11, 2001.
- President Donald Trump and Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth delivered remarks at the Pentagon ceremony in Arlington, Virginia.
- Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro ordered flags to fly at half-staff to honour the 40 victims of United Airlines Flight 93.
- New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani released documents showing city officials knew about toxic exposure risks after the Twin Towers fell.
- An estimated 400,000 people were exposed to chemicals including carcinogens, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Ground Zero Ceremony
At Ground Zero in New York City, relatives of victims read the names of those killed, as they have every year since the attack. The ceremony took place surrounded by two reflecting pools that mark the footprints of the Twin Towers. A memorial and museum now stand at the site where the World Trade Center collapsed after two commercial jets crashed into the buildings.
Pentagon and Shanksville Observances
In Arlington, Virginia, mourners gathered at the Pentagon, where American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the building, killing 184 people. President Trump said the 25 years since the attacks have shown 'the even greater power of the American spirit to endure and prevail and to win.' In Shanksville, Pennsylvania, families honoured the 40 passengers and crew killed aboard United Airlines Flight 93, which crashed into a rural field after passengers revolted against the hijackers. Governor Josh Shapiro ordered flags at half-staff to honour those who 'stood up to evil and ran towards danger while others were running away.'
Long-Term Health Consequences
Earlier this week, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani released government documents indicating that city officials knew about the risks of toxic exposure after the fall of the Twin Towers. An estimated 400,000 people were exposed to chemicals including carcinogens, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Thousands are believed to have died from conditions like cancer in the quarter century since the attacks.
1 source
Time · lag behind first