Thousands Honor 24th Anniversary of Twin Towers Attacks

Lead Thousands gathered at the 9/11 Memorial in Lower Manhattan and at sites in Washington, D.C., and Shanksville, Pa., Thursday to read victims’ names and observe moments of silence at 8:46 a.m.

Nut Graf Marking 24 years since two hijacked jets struck the World Trade Center’s Twin Towers, ceremonies underscored enduring grief and national resolve to “never forget,” drawing survivors, families, elected officials and first responders.

Reading of Names and Moments of Silence

• Family members and survivors recited all 2,977 victims’ names at Memorial Plaza beginning at 8:30 a.m.
• Six silences punctuated the ceremony at the precise times of each impact and collapse.

Dignitaries and Tributes

• Vice President J.D. Vance and Second Lady Usha Vance attended New York’s ceremony, while President Trump spoke at the Pentagon observance honoring 184 victims there.
• A bagpipe tribute honored responders who later succumbed to 9/11‐related illnesses.

Tribute in Light and Road Closures

• At dusk, twin beams of light illuminated the Lower Manhattan skyline, visible across boroughs and beyond.
• Streets around the World Trade Center-Barclay, Rector, Broadway, West Street and adjacent blocks-remained closed through midday.

Nationwide Commemorations

• In Shanksville, Pennsylvania, wreaths were laid at the Flight 93 crash site during a private service.
• Community service events-from blood drives to neighborhood cleanups-took place across the country as part of a national day of service.

Enduring Impact

The World Trade Center attacks claimed 2,977 lives and reshaped U.S. security policy. Twenty-four years on, survivors and new generations uphold the promise to remember and honor those lost.