President Trump Marks 25th Anniversary of 9/11 With Patriot Day Proclamation
National News - President Donald Trump has proclaimed September 11, 2026, as Patriot Day, marking 25 years since the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. The proclamation asks all federal buildings to fly the American flag at half-staff. It also invites governors and community groups across the country to take part in the observance.
The proclamation looks back on the events of that day. Four commercial planes were hijacked and used as weapons against the United States. Nearly 3,000 people lost their lives in just over two hours.
American Airlines Flight 11 struck the North Tower of the World Trade Center at 8:46 a.m. United Airlines Flight 175 hit the South Tower 17 minutes later. Both towers had collapsed by 10:28 a.m. that morning.
American Airlines Flight 77 was flown into the Pentagon 34 minutes after the second tower was hit. The proclamation notes that survivors ran back into the burning building to help others get out.
A fourth plane, United Airlines Flight 93, never reached its target. Passengers on board learned what was happening through phone calls and decided to fight back. Todd Beamer, one of the passengers, led others in reciting the Lord's Prayer before saying his final words, quoted directly in the proclamation as: "Are you ready? Okay. Let's roll." The plane went down in a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, short of its intended target in Washington, D.C.
The proclamation credits first responders for their work in the days that followed. Members of the New York City Police Department, the Fire Department of New York, and the Port Authority worked alongside close to 100 other emergency agencies. The document also recognizes those first responders still dealing with health problems tied to their service that day.
Congress designated September 11 as Patriot Day back in 2001, under Public Law 107-89. Each year, the president issues a proclamation asking Americans to observe the day and remember those who died.
The proclamation also points to the thousands of service members who joined the military in the years after the attacks. It states that many gave their lives, and many more came home with lasting wounds from their service.
President Trump signed the proclamation on September 9, 2026.
