Proclamation marks 25th anniversary of September 11 attacks

The President of the United States has issued a proclamation marking the 25th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, published in the Federal Register of September 15, 2026 (Vol. 91, Notices section, FR Doc. 2026-18959). The document recalls the four coordinated hijackings that killed 2,977 people and reaffirms the Nation’s commitment to defending its sovereignty and national security.

The attacks of that morning

The proclamation retraces the sequence of the attacks, beginning at 8:46 a.m. when American Airlines Flight 11 was deliberately flown into the North Tower of the World Trade Center in New York City. Within 17 minutes, United Airlines Flight 175 struck the South Tower, and both towers collapsed by 10:28 a.m. Just 34 minutes later, American Airlines Flight 77 was flown into the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, striking members of the Armed Forces and civil servants.

• American Airlines Flight 11 — North Tower, 8:46 a.m.
• United Airlines Flight 175 — South Tower, minutes later
• American Airlines Flight 77 — Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia
• United Airlines Flight 93 — downed in a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania

The heroes of Flight 93

Aboard United Airlines Flight 93, passengers who learned of the unfolding terror resolved to fight back. Among them was Todd Beamer, described as a devoted husband, father and man of deep faith, who led his fellow passengers in the Lord’s Prayer before his final words: “Are you ready? Okay. Let’s roll.” The passengers mounted a daring assault on the hijackers and forced the aircraft down in a field outside Shanksville, Pennsylvania, about 20 minutes of flying time from their intended target.

A generation of warriors

The proclamation honors the first responders who answered the call of duty, including the thousands who continue to suffer from serious health conditions caused by their service. It also pays tribute to the generation of service members who, for nearly a quarter century, served, fought and sacrificed in defense of freedom, with many giving their last full measure of devotion and countless others returning home bearing the seen and unseen wounds of war.

A renewed security commitment

The President states that his Administration has been unwavering in its commitment to ensuring the Nation is defended by the strongest and most lethal military in the world, and pledges a foreign policy of “peace through strength.” The proclamation warns that the hatred that struck on September 11 still exists and that the lessons of that day remain urgent, calling on Americans to defend their sovereignty, values and way of life against all who seek their destruction.

The proclamation closes by insisting that the memory of September 11 must never fade into history but remain a living inheritance passed from one generation of Americans to the next, holding the families of the victims in the enduring embrace of the Nation.

Source: Federal Register, Vol. 91, No. 176, September 15, 2026, Notices (official reference: FR Doc. 2026-18959).