LAST UPDATE | 11 Sep 2025

US PRESIDENT DONALD Trump stood alongside first lady Melania Trump at the Pentagon this morning to mark the 24th anniversary of the September 11 attacks, honoring the nearly 3,000 people killed.

On this day 24 years ago, hijackers flew two planes into New York’s World Trade Centre and a third into the Pentagon, tearing a hole into the headquarters of America’s military.

A fourth plane, United Airlines Flight 93, crashed into a Pennsylvania field after passengers fought back, preventing another strike in Washington.

The Pentagon ceremony honored the 184 people killed there, including military personnel, civilian staff, and airline passengers, as well as all those lost in New York and Pennsylvania.

Trump was joined at the Pentagon by Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Caine.

During his speech, Trump linked his hardline approach to national security with his recent decision to rename the Pentagon, vowing that any assault on the US would face overwhelming force.

“If you attack the United States of America, we will hunt you down,” Trump said.

“We will crush you without mercy, and we will triumph without question. That’s why we named the former Department of Defense, the Department of War. It will be different.”

Trump will later travel to New York City, where he will attend the Yankees’ evening baseball game against the Detroit Tigers.

Vice President JD Vance, who had been due in New York for commemorations, instead diverted to Salt Lake City to meet the family of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, who was shot dead yesterday at a Utah college event.

Vance described Kirk as “a true friend.”

Trump confirmed this afternoon that he would posthumously award Kir the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

New York marked a citywide moment of silence at 8:46am (1.46 Irish time), the time that hijacked Flight 11 struck the North Tower of the World Trade Centre.

Several senior officials, including Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, FBI Director Kash Patel, Deputy FBI Director Dan Bongino and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, will represent the administration at the Ground Zero service.

Places of worship across the city will sound their bells to mark the impact as families of the victims read the names of those killed at Ground Zero.

Trump, however, is not expected to attend the ceremony at Ground Zero.