Nearly twenty-four years have passed since the September 11 attacks, yet for countless Americans the grief remains as piercing as the day it happened.
On Thursday, the nation marked the 24th anniversary with tributes in New York, Virginia and Pennsylvania. The ceremonies featured moments of silence, tolling bells and the reading of the nearly 3,000 names etched into history by tragedy.
At ground zero in Manhattan, Jennifer Nilsen wore a T-shirt with a picture of her husband, Troy Nilsen. She admitted that the passage of time has done little to ease the pain. “Even 24 years later, it’s heart-wrenching,” she said in AP report. “It feels the same way every year.”
Standing nearby, Michelle Pizzo, who carried the memory of her late husband Jason DeFazio on her shirt, said she wished more people paused to remember. “Younger kids don’t realize that you have to remember,” she said.
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Emma Williamson, a 20-year-old college student from Massachusetts, made the trip to the site to witness the commemoration in person. She reflected on the national impact of the tragedy, saying, “I wasn’t born when it happened, but it was really an important day in America. It’s kind of the last time we all stuck together, and that matters.”
The anniversary, often framed as a day of unity, unfolded against a backdrop of political tension. The assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk at a Utah college the day before prompted added security in New York, where FBI Director Kash Patel joined dignitaries at ground zero. Vice President JD Vance and his wife, Usha Vance, canceled their attendance in order to meet with Kirk’s family in Salt Lake City.
As the names of victims were read aloud, families shared stories of love and resilience. Zoe Doyle, daughter of Frank Joseph Doyle, described how her family created a nonprofit in his memory that now builds schools and provides food and education to children in South Africa. Manuel DaMota Jr. spoke of his father with gratitude, saying, “In a world filled with division and conflict, I do my best to honor my father by choosing connection, empathy and hope.”
Melissa Pullis, whose husband Edward died in the twin towers, said this year feels especially painful as two of their children prepare to marry. Fighting back tears, she explained that the absence is most profound at milestones, noting that her husband “can’t walk your princess down the aisle.” She added that he is “missed every day,” and vowed that the family “will always say your name, and we will always fight for justice.”
At the Pentagon, 184 service members and civilians who perished when a hijacked plane struck the U.S. military headquarters were honored in a ceremony attended by President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump. The president recalled the courage of passengers on the hijacked planes and reaffirmed a vow of remembrance. “Today, as one nation, we renew our sacred vow that we will never forget Sept. 11, 2001,” he said. “The enemy will always fail. We defy the fear, endure the flames.”
Trump also announced that Charlie Kirk would be posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, describing him as a “giant of his generation” and a “champion of liberty.” Later that evening, the president was expected to attend a New York Yankees game in the Bronx.
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In Shanksville, Pennsylvania, Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins joined families at the Flight 93 memorial. The hijacked plane, which passengers and crew forced down before it could reach its target, has come to symbolize courage in the face of terror.
Across the country, others marked the day with acts of service, from food and clothing drives to blood donations and park cleanups.
The attacks of 2001, carried out by al-Qaida, killed 2,977 people, including financial workers in the World Trade Center, first responders who rushed into the burning towers, and military and civilian staff at the Pentagon. The impact was global, reshaping U.S. domestic and foreign policy, sparking the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, and fueling the broader “Global War on Terror.”
The legacy continues today, with the federal government still providing health care and compensation to thousands who were exposed to toxic dust in Manhattan. Meanwhile, justice has remained elusive for Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the accused mastermind arrested in 2003 but never tried.
As America reflected on the 24th anniversary, the Trump administration also confirmed it was considering whether to take direct control of the memorial plaza and museum at ground zero, currently overseen by a nonprofit.
