Americans are marking 24 years since the September 11, 2001, terror attacks with ceremonies, volunteer work, and moments of silence. Families of victims, survivors, political leaders, and ordinary citizens are gathering in New York, at the Pentagon in Virginia, and in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, to honor the nearly 3,000 people killed that day.
Loved ones of those lost continue to carry their grief. “Even 24 years later, it’s heart wrenching,” said Jennifer Nilsen, whose husband Troy worked at Cantor Fitzgerald on the 103rd floor of the World Trade Center. “It feels the same way every year.”
A day of national mourning
At Ground Zero in Lower Manhattan, relatives will again read aloud the names of the victims. Moments of silence will mark the exact times the hijacked planes struck the twin towers and when the buildings collapsed. Similar ceremonies are being held at the Pentagon, where 184 people were killed, and at Shanksville, Pennsylvania, where passengers of United Flight 93 fought back against hijackers, forcing the plane down in a field.
President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump are attending the Pentagon ceremony, while Vice President JD Vance is visiting the family of slain activist Charlie Kirk in Utah before traveling to New York later this week.
President Trump and the First Lady at Observance event
What is 9/11?
“9/11” refers to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States, carried out by the extremist group al-Qaida. On that morning, 19 terrorists hijacked four passenger airplanes and launched coordinated suicide attacks.
Two planes were flown into the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, causing the buildings to collapse.
One plane hit the Pentagon, the headquarters of the US Department of Defense, in Virginia.
The fourth plane, United Flight 93, was headed toward Washington, D.C., but passengers fought back. It crashed into a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, preventing even greater loss of life.
What happened on September 11, 2001:
On the morning of September 11, 2001, 19 al-Qaida terrorists hijacked four commercial airplanes and used them as weapons in a coordinated assault on the United States.
8:46 a.m. (ET): American Airlines Flight 11, from Boston to Los Angeles, crashed into the North Tower of the World Trade Center in New York City.
9:03 a.m.: United Airlines Flight 175, also from Boston to Los Angeles, struck the South Tower of the World Trade Center.
9:37 a.m.: American Airlines Flight 77, from Washington D.C. to Los Angeles, was flown into the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia.
10:03 a.m.: United Airlines Flight 93, from Newark to San Francisco, crashed into a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, after passengers and crew fought the hijackers, preventing them from reaching their target in Washington, D.C. (believed to be either the U.S. Capitol or the White House).
The destruction
Both towers of the World Trade Center collapsed within two hours, sending a massive cloud of toxic dust across Lower Manhattan.
The Pentagon sustained heavy damage, with part of its western side destroyed.
The crash of Flight 93 killed all onboard but likely saved hundreds more by stopping the plane from hitting its intended target.
The toll
In all, 2,977 people were killed, not including the hijackers. Victims included business executives, airline passengers, service members, first responders, and ordinary citizens from more than 90 countries.
The attacks reshaped US and global history. Washington declared a “Global War on Terror,” launching wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Domestically, the Department of Homeland Security was created, air travel security was overhauled, and intelligence agencies expanded their surveillance powers.
Ongoing struggles
Two decades later, the health impact of 9/11 continues. More than 140,000 survivors and first responders are still enrolled in health monitoring programs for conditions linked to toxic dust and debris from Ground Zero.
Meanwhile, the man accused of masterminding the attacks, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, remains in US custody at Guantánamo Bay but has yet to face trial.
A day of service
Beyond mourning, the anniversary is also marked as a national day of service. Volunteers across the country are taking part in food drives, blood donations, and community cleanups, embodying the spirit of unity that followed the tragedy.
As the US observes the 24th anniversary, the message remains the same: the world may have changed on September 11, but the memory of those lost endures.