RismadarVoice Reporters
September 11, 2026
President Donald Trump marked the 25th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on Friday by linking the historical tragedy directly to the ongoing military conflict with Iran, declaring that the U.S. remains engaged in a struggle against global terrorism.
Addressing service members and military leadership at the Pentagon, Trump skipped the traditional commemorations at Ground Zero in New York.
Instead, he framed the current U.S.-Israeli military campaign against Tehran now in its seventh month as an extension of the original “War on Terror.”
“Today we renew the sacred oath that we first swore in their names a quarter of a century ago,” Trump said during his remarks. “We will never, ever forget. That’s why we fight today.”
Flanked by First Lady Melania Trump, the president asserted that military victory over state-sponsored terrorism was the only viable path forward.
“We don’t have a choice. There can only be victory. We fight hard. We fight to win,” Trump added, before praising U.S. troops currently engaged in operations targeting Iran’s nuclear program and military apparatus.
U.S. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth also addressed the ceremony, echoing the administration’s stance against the Iranian government. Hegseth stated that American forces have spent the past six months dismantling what he described as the world’s most prolific state sponsor of terrorism.
The anniversary comes as the broader Middle East war remains locked in a strategic stalemate. Despite exchanges of fire between coalition forces and Iranian assets, Tehran has maintained a tight grip on the Strait of Hormuz, driving global energy prices upward.
Trump also interjected domestic political themes into his address, striking a combative tone ahead of the upcoming U.S. midterm elections. Reiterating rhetoric from a recent Republican convention, Trump warned against internal “fanatics,” maintaining that ultimate victory over terror required domestic resilience against ideological opponents at home.
The Pentagon commemoration honoured the 184 victims who died when hijacked American Airlines Flight 77 struck the building 25 years ago, marked by a single tolling bell as the names of the fallen were read aloud.
