US President Donald Trump will mark the 25th anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks at the Pentagon, choosing not to attend the main memorial ceremony at Ground Zero in New York City.
Trump confirmed the plan on Friday when reporters asked why he would not be attending the New York ceremony. His response was brief: “Because I’m going to the Pentagon.”
The decision means the three major locations associated with the 2001 attacks will still be represented by senior members of the US administration. Vice President JD Vance is expected to attend the New York ceremony, while other administration officials will participate in commemorations in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, where United Airlines Flight 93 crashed.
25 years since the September 11 attacks
September 11, 2026, will mark 25 years since the al-Qaida terrorist attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people at the World Trade Center in New York, the Pentagon and near Shanksville.
The attacks fundamentally changed US foreign policy, national security and counterterrorism policies and remain one of the most significant events in modern American history.
The Pentagon ceremony will give Trump an opportunity to deliver remarks while paying tribute to the victims, their families and the first responders who took part in rescue efforts.
The White House said Trump would honour those killed in the attacks and pay tribute to emergency personnel who risked their lives to save others.
Why Trump is not attending Ground Zero
Trump's decision not to attend the New York ceremony has attracted attention because he is a native New Yorker and has previously participated in Ground Zero commemorations.
Trump last attended the New York ceremony in 2024. He also marked the anniversary at the Pentagon in 2025.
Reports indicate that Trump's desire to deliver remarks may have influenced the decision. The National September 11 Memorial & Museum has maintained a policy since 2012 of not allowing politicians to make speeches during the Ground Zero ceremony, keeping the event nonpartisan and focused on the victims.
Trump has rejected the suggestion that his decision was connected to a dispute over speaking at the New York ceremony.
Administration to be represented at all three sites
With Trump at the Pentagon, Vance attending the New York event and other administration officials travelling to Shanksville, the White House says all three locations connected to the attacks will have official representation.
The 2026 anniversary is expected to carry particular significance as families and communities across the United States remember a quarter-century of lives lost and the lasting impact of the attacks.
