US marks 25th anniversary of 9/11 with solemn ceremonies and political undertones
Commemorations across the US and UK honour the nearly 3,000 victims of the 9/11 attacks, with a new moment of silence for those who died later from related illnesses.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
On the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks, the United States and the world paused for a day of remembrance. Nearly 3,000 people were killed when hijacked planes were flown into the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and a field in Pennsylvania. At Ground Zero in New York, the names of the victims were read aloud by family members, with six moments of silence marking the attacks, and a new seventh silence for those who have died since from 9/11-related illnesses.
President Donald Trump attended a ceremony at the Pentagon, where 184 people died when Flight 77 struck the building. All four living former presidents, together with Vice President JD Vance, took part in the Ground Zero ceremony. Trump's decision not to be in New York was notable, and his speech drew explicit links between the attacks and the current conflict with Iran, saying 'that's why we fight today.'
The day also highlighted the deep divisions that have emerged since 2001. Muslim Americans are facing record levels of discrimination, and the unity of the immediate aftermath has long faded. The wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, launched as part of the war on terror, have had lasting consequences, including the rise of ISIS and the return of the Taliban to power.
In the UK, ceremonies remembered the 67 British citizens who died. The US ambassador laid a wreath and praised Britain's friendship. At London's Olympic Park, a memorial event used steel from the World Trade Center to educate young people about the attack. Personal stories of heroism, such as that of F-16 pilot Heather Penney, who was ready to ram Flight 93, and of families who lost loved ones, were shared across broadcasts.
The anniversary served as a reminder that the world has been reshaped by that day, from airport security to foreign policy. As one person put it, the slogan 'never forget' faces the challenge that a third of Americans have no memory of the event.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | Channel 5 | BBC News | BBC One | BBC Two | Channel 4 | GB News | ITV | Sky News |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nearly 3,000 people were killed in the 9/11 attacks, including 67 UK citizens. | ||||||||
| President Trump did not attend the Ground Zero ceremony for the 9/11 anniversary. | · | · | ||||||
| A drone memorial recreated the Twin Towers over the New York skyline for the anniversary. | · | · | · | · | · | |||
| Commemorations are taking place at the sites of the attacks, including the World Trade Center memorial. | · | · | · | · | · | |||
| A seventh moment of silence honoured those who died from 9/11-related illnesses. | · | · | · | · | · | · | ||
| All four living former presidents and Vice President JD Vance gathered at Ground Zero. | · | · | · | · | · | · | ||
| Rights groups say Muslim Americans are facing record levels of discrimination. | · | · | · | · | · | · | ||
| Rudy Giuliani made controversial comments about New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani and was condemned. | · | · | · | · | · | · | ||
| The response to 9/11 included wars that made the problem worse, such as the Iraq war. | · | · | · | · | · | · | ||
| The US Ambassador laid a wreath at the 9/11 Memorial Garden in London. | · | · | · | · | · | · | ||
| 40% of the victims of the 9/11 attacks have never been identified. | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | |
| A drone display featured 2,977 drones, one for each victim of the 9/11 attacks. | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
Focused on personal grief and the duty to remember, including an interview with a British man who lost his father and aunt. Also featured a panel discussion with Lord Blunkett on the lasting geopolitical impact and the importance of teaching younger generations.
- “I think remembering for me is helping others now is making impact now.”
- “It was an attack on the free world and our way of life.”
Centred on the heroism of F-16 pilot Heather Penney, who was prepared to ram Flight 93, and the bravery of the passengers who brought the plane down. Also reflected on the loss of national unity in the years since the attacks.
- “If we were to take down an airliner, we would have to ram our jets into the aircraft.”
- “Thank God for the passengers.”
Mixed coverage: one segment highlighted the US ambassador's tribute to UK solidarity, while another took a critical view of Western responses to 9/11, arguing that Islamist extremism has grown and that the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan made things worse.
- “It's quite easy to accuse ourselves in the West of making things worse.”
- “You can't take a bottle of water on a plane.”
Comprehensive live coverage of the ceremonies, with a strong focus on the political divisions and rising anti-Muslim sentiment in the US. Featured interviews with families, including Zeeshan Hamdani, and analysis of the war on terror's legacy.
- “On a day meant to unite, it's still proving difficult for America to put to rest its divisions.”
- “Concluding this year's commemoration for the first time, a new moment of silence for the thousands who have died in the years after the attack from 9-11 related illnesses.”
Emphasised the scale of the commemoration, including a drone display over New York, and provided detailed analysis of how 9/11 reshaped America, from anti-Muslim hate crime to the rise of Donald Trump. Also included the Heather Penney interview.
- “9-11 is not just something that happened 25 years ago. It is the event that created America and the world as we know it today.”
- “There was a 1600% rise in anti-Muslim hate crime.”
Focused on the sombre ceremonies and the controversies surrounding them, including a widow's call for justice over Saudi Arabia's alleged role. Also examined the legacy of the war on terror and the erosion of civil liberties.
- “Administration after administration, including leaders in front of us here today, chose to protect the Saudis.”
- “The George W Bush era became defined by his war on terror and crackdown on civil liberties.”
Combined national coverage with a local UK perspective, particularly the memorial event at London's Olympic Park and the need to educate a new generation. Also reported on the health impacts of the attacks.
- “It's about commemoration here, but also educating a new generation.”
Provided straightforward news coverage of the ceremonies, the drone display, and the long-term health consequences for first responders and survivors. Also highlighted the global impact of the war on terror.
- “In the intervening quarter century one estimate has 45,000 people falling ill of 9-11 related Diseases.”
- “9,000 people have died as a result of those illnesses.”
Broadcast Timeline
News broadcasts tracked for this story, in time order.