President Donald Trump will deliver a speech at the Pentagon to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the September 11 terror attacks, according to a Friday announcement. The president told a reporter he would attend the ceremony at the U.S. Department of Defense headquarters rather than visiting the Ground Zero site in New York City.
A White House official told NewsNation that Vice President JD Vance is scheduled to travel to New York City for the anniversary. The official added that all three 9/11 crash sites will have administration representatives in attendance.
According to a report by The New York Times, the president was interested in delivering remarks at the Manhattan site. However, the report noted that other factors allegedly influenced the decision, including a trip the president has scheduled for the following day to his golf course in Doonbeg, Ireland. Policy at the Manhattan memorial has prohibited politicians from delivering remarks at the site since 2012.
White House spokesperson Anna Kelly said in a statement that on the anniversary, the president intended to "remember those who were killed at the hands of evil terrorists, honor their loved ones, and pay tribute to the brave first responders."
In 2024, Trump and Vance attended the New York ceremony alongside then-President Biden and Vice President Harris. The Pentagon event will mark the second consecutive year Trump has marked the anniversary at the Defense Department. The anniversary falls on Wednesday, September 11, 2026.