25 Years After 9/11, Trump Says Iran Fight Is Part of the Same Mission

President Donald Trump marked the 25th anniversary of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks with a solemn address at the Pentagon, where he honoured the victims and first responders before linking the legacy of 9/11 to the United States’ ongoing military campaign against Iran.

Speaking at the site where 184 people were killed when American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon, Trump said the nation was renewing the promise it made a quarter-century ago to never forget those lost in the attacks. He then argued that the same commitment now underpins Washington’s current military actions against Tehran.

“Today we renew the sacred oath that we first swore in their names a quarter of a century ago: we will never, ever forget. That’s why we fight today,” Trump said during the ceremony.

The president described Iran as the world’s leading sponsor of terrorism and reiterated his administration’s position that preventing Tehran from acquiring a nuclear weapon remains a central national security objective. His remarks echoed those of Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, who also portrayed the Iran conflict as part of the broader struggle against extremist threats that followed 9/11.

Elsewhere, commemorations took a different tone. At Ground Zero in New York, families of victims gathered alongside Vice President JD Vance and four former US presidents for the traditional reading of the names of the nearly 3,000 people killed in the attacks. Moments of silence marked the precise times the hijacked planes struck the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and the crash of Flight 93 in Pennsylvania. This year’s observance also included a seventh moment of silence honouring those who later died from 9/11-related illnesses linked to toxic exposure.

Trump’s decision to connect the anniversary with the Iran war immediately sparked political debate. Critics argued that a day dedicated to remembrance should not be used to justify an ongoing conflict, while supporters maintained that confronting state-backed terrorism is consistent with the lessons of September 11.

The speech also marked a notable evolution in Trump’s foreign policy rhetoric. During his first presidential campaign, he frequently criticised the post-9/11 wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, describing the Iraq invasion as a historic mistake. His Pentagon address, however, framed current military action as part of the same long-running national security mission that emerged after the attacks.

Twenty-five years after the deadliest terrorist attack in American history, the anniversary remained both a moment of national mourning and a reflection on how 9/11 continues to shape US policy. As the country honours the victims and the resilience of those who responded, the debate over how that legacy should influence today’s conflicts remains as powerful as ever