On the 25th anniversary of 9/11, the U.S. marked the day with ceremonies honoring victims and first responders, as officials and survivors reflected on the attacks’ enduring impact.
The United States observed the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks with nationwide ceremonies, vigils, and exhibitions, as leaders and survivors grappled with the event’s legacy.
A Nation Reckons with a Shared Trauma
Rev. Eric Olsen, a New York National Guard chaplain who served at ground zero after the attacks, described the uncertainty that followed the 2001 strikes. There was all this uncertainty,
he recalled. Are there going to be more attacks? Is this just the forerunner?
Now 68, Olsen reflected on the “very sad time” he experienced while delivering death notifications to families of service members who died in subsequent wars, including Iraq and Afghanistan.
The attacks, carried out by al-Qaida, killed 2,977 people in the initial strike, with an estimated 7,000 U.S. service members later dying in post-9/11 conflicts. Tens of thousands more fell ill from exposure to toxic debris at the World Trade Center site, according to a Brown University study. It changed the [nation’s] foreign policy, the shape of the armed forces, and the ways we understood what a threat was and what constitutes being safe,
said Elizabeth Hillman, director of the National September 11 Memorial & Museum, in an interview with NPR.
Commemorations Across the Country
New York City hosted major events, including a gathering at the 9/11 Memorial in Lower Manhattan featuring Vice President Vance and former presidents Joe Biden, George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and Barack Obama. A special baseball game between the New York Yankees and Mets included tributes to first responders. Meanwhile, President Trump addressed the Pentagon, where he was expected to deliver a speech, and a memorial service took place at the Flight 93 National Memorial in Pennsylvania, where passengers thwarted a hijacked plane’s attack on Washington, D.C.
The National September 11 Memorial & Museum unveiled a new exhibition, In Their Honor: 25 Years of 9/11-Inspired Service,
which celebrates individuals who dedicated their lives to public service following the attacks. That we can come together with compassion, with courage to serve after suffering an incredible set of losses, on 9/11 and after, is a really powerful message,
Hillman said.
Questions About Legacy and Accountability
The anniversary also brought renewed scrutiny of the government’s handling of the attacks’ aftermath.
Survivors and families continue to grapple with the attacks’ legacy. Olsen, who served in Iraq and later counseled military personnel, urged younger Americans to tune in for a couple of hours and see what it meant.
I think that sense of commonality and common purpose that we all had on 9/11, that’s something we really try every single day to get back to,
said Vance during a press conference last week.
A Divided Nation’s Grief
Despite the commemorations, the attacks’ impact remains a source of contention. Hillman noted that questions about the impact and legacy of 9/11 remain fraught for many.
The event’s role in reshaping U.S. foreign policy, military strategy, and societal attitudes toward security continues to spark debate, even as the nation honors those who lost their lives.
As the 25th anniversary passed, the focus remained on remembrance. I intend to take some time to myself to pray, contemplate and grieve,
Olsen said. His words echoed the broader sentiment of a nation still processing the trauma of a day that altered its course.
