Former Presidents Attend NYC Ceremony for 9/11 Anniversary

Former Leaders Gather at Ground Zero

Former Presidents Barack Obama, Joe Biden and George W. Bush attended Friday morning’s 9/11 remembrance ceremony in New York City, joined by their wives as the nation marked the 25th anniversary of the terrorist attacks. Former President Bill Clinton was also among those attending the ceremony, bringing together four living former presidents at the National September 11 Memorial & Museum in Lower Manhattan. The gathering included political leaders from different administrations and generations as families and survivors gathered to remember those who were killed.

Remembering the Victims

The ceremony began with a moment of silence at 8:46 a.m., marking the time American Airlines Flight 11 struck the North Tower of the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. Additional moments of silence were held throughout the ceremony to mark other critical moments during the attacks. Family members of the nearly 3,000 people killed on September 11 read the names of the victims. The annual reading has become one of the central traditions of the New York remembrance ceremony.

A Day That Changed the Country

Bush was president when the attacks occurred, and the events of September 11 shaped much of his presidency, including the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and sweeping changes to U.S. national security policy. Obama and Biden later served as president during the years when the country continued dealing with the military, political and security consequences of the attacks. Their attendance Friday highlighted the lasting national significance of September 11 despite the political differences between the administrations that followed.

Remembering First Responders and Survivors

The anniversary also recognizes the first responders, recovery workers and civilians who were exposed to toxic dust and other hazardous conditions following the collapse of the World Trade Center towers. Thousands of people have since developed illnesses associated with their exposure to the aftermath of the attacks. The health consequences of 9/11 remain an important part of the anniversary as survivors and families continue to deal with the effects 25 years later.

Trump Marks Anniversary at Pentagon

President Donald Trump did not attend the New York ceremony. He instead traveled to the Pentagon in Virginia, where he participated in a separate commemoration marking the anniversary of the attacks. The Pentagon was one of the three locations directly targeted on September 11, 2001. American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the building, killing 184 people. The 25th anniversary ceremonies across the country are giving families, survivors, first responders and government officials an opportunity to remember those lost and reflect on the lasting impact of September 11.