Patriot Day 2025, the 24th Anniversary of the September 11 Terrorist Attacks

Proclamation 10970 of September 11, 2025

Patriot Day 2025, the 24th Anniversary of the
September 11 Terrorist Attacks

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

September 11, 2001, will forever live in the collective
consciousness of those who witnessed four commercial
jetliners converted into weapons of terror to target
innocent Americans on a beautiful Tuesday morning in
September, 24 years ago.

At 8:46 a.m., the first plane--Flight 11 from Boston,
Massachusetts--hit the North Tower of the World Trade
Center. Seventeen minutes later, at 9:03 a.m., Flight
175, also from Boston, struck the South Tower. At 9:37
a.m., Flight 77 from Washington, DC, smashed into the
Pentagon. Twenty-two minutes later, the South Tower
collapsed, and shortly thereafter the North Tower fell
with it. Ultimately, 2,753 people perished in New York
City and 184 perished in Arlington, Virginia.

Hearts sank as word started to spread. There was one
plane still unaccounted for--Flight 93 from Newark, New
Jersey--slowly advancing toward the heart of
Washington, DC, carrying 40 innocent souls. In the face
of certain death, these ordinary men and women devised
an extraordinary plan to deny evil another victory.
Their final act was to say a last goodbye to their
loved ones, some leaving voicemails that can still be
heard today. With the rallying cry, ``Let's roll,''
they stormed the cockpit to overcome the terrorists,
forcing the plane to crash in a field in southwestern
Pennsylvania. Their bravery saved countless lives and
preserved our Nation's capital as a symbol of the
enduring strength of our Republic. Their uncommon
courage will never be forgotten, and the hallowed
ground in Pennsylvania, their final destination, serves
as a lasting reminder that the United States will never
yield to forces of evil.

The terrorist attacks of September 11 not only sparked
fury but also a groundswell of patriotism, renewing our
unity, reinvigorating American pride, and demonstrating
that, in the wake of unimaginable evil, Americans will
always stand united. In the aftermath of the deadliest
terrorist attack in recorded history, the goodness,
grace, and unbreakable spirit of the American people
prevailed.

Twenty-four years later, we renew our resolve to ensure
that we never again face such a ruthless attack. My
Administration is committed to upholding a foreign
policy of peace through strength, and we proclaim
without reservation that any enemy who seeks to strike
our shores, endanger our citizens, and threaten our way
of life will be met with devastation and crushing
defeat by the fiercest, most lethal, and most
formidable military on the face of the Earth.

Today, we honor and remember the souls who perished on
September 11, 2001, and those who succumbed to illness
and injury in the days, months, and years that
followed. We pray for the grieving families who carry
their memories and for the survivors who bear enduring
scars. We praise the countless firefighters, law
enforcement officers, and other first responders who
ran into flames, sought the injured to save lives and
offer

comfort, and searched through rubble for signs of life.
We are eternally indebted for their selfless service.

We vow that any enemy who spills American blood will
face the full wrath of American justice. And above all,
we recommit to honoring the memories, cherishing the
legacies, and remembering the stories of our fallen
heroes for all eternity.

As we commemorate this somber anniversary, we reaffirm
that the vow whispered in sorrow and shouted in anguish
in our Nation's darkest hour remains our solemn pledge
and promise: We will never, ever forget.

By a joint resolution approved December 18, 2001
(Public Law 107-89), the Congress designated September
11 of each year as ``Patriot Day.''

NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the
United States of America, do herby proclaim September
11, 2025, as Patriot Day, 2025. I call upon all
departments, agencies, and instrumentalities of the
United States to display the flag of the United States
at half-staff in honor of the 2,977 innocent souls who
lost their lives on September 11, 2001. I also invite
the Governors of the United States and its Territories,
and interested organizations and individuals, to join
in this observance. To our Nation's young people, I
encourage you to ask your family, friends, and
neighbors, as well as our military service members and
first responders, to recount their memories of that
fateful day, share how it touched their lives, and
reflect upon the unmatched pride that comes with being
an American citizen.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
eleventh day of September, in the year of our Lord two
thousand twenty-five, and of the Independence of the
United States of America the two hundred and fiftieth.