Nation Mourns 25 Years On from 9/11, as Trump and Biden Reflect on Tragedy

Twenty-five years have passed since the devastating attacks on the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and a Pennsylvania field. The lives lost in the tragedy are still etched in the memories of Americans. President Donald Trump and US Vice-President JD Vance paid their respects to the fallen at separate ceremonies. Trump attended a Pentagon ceremony, while Vance attended a memorial at the site of the World Trade Center in New York. The event was attended by all four living former US presidents and first ladies. The commemoration was marked by moments of silence and the reading out of nearly 3,000 names of those who perished. The Tribute in Light on Friday evening illuminated the Manhattan sky with two beams of light, while other landmarks in the state lit up in blue to commemorate the occasion. US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick was visibly moved as he reflected on the loss of his brother Gary and colleagues in the attack. Former Presidents George W Bush, Joe Biden, Barack Obama, and Bill Clinton attended a memorial in New York City, while Condoleezza Rice, national security adviser on 9/11, was in attendance at the Pentagon. President Trump spoke of the 'sacred oath' sworn by Americans, stating that 'we will never, ever forget'. He also sought to link the 'war on terror' to his current conflict in Iran, stating that the Islamic Republic 'will never, ever have a nuclear weapon'. Commemorations were also held in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, where Flight 93 crashed after passengers fought back against the hijackers.