Today marks the 23rd anniversary of the September 11, 2001, terror attacks that profoundly impacted New York City and the entire United States.
Nearly 3,000 lives were lost when al-Qaida hijackers crashed four jetliners into the Twin Towers, the Pentagon, and a field in southwestern Pennsylvania. As people across the country observe moments of silence, US leaders have come together for a day of remembrance.
President Biden attended the 9/11 anniversary ceremony in downtown Manhattan today, joined by Vice President Harris. The two were seen shaking hands with former President Donald Trump, following Wednesday’s presidential debate. They also stood alongside former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg for a moment of silence.
Former President Barack Obama was not present but he did release a statement on X saying, “Today we honor the memory of all those we lost on September 11, 2001. May we never forget their stories – and the bravery of our first responders and troops who sacrificed so much.”
Presidential candidate Kamala Harris followed up with a statement of her own. It read, “Today is a day of solemn remembrance as we mourn the souls we lost in a heinous terrorist attack on September 11, 2001. We stand in solidarity with their families and loved ones. We also honor the extraordinary heroism on display that fateful day by ordinary Americans helping their fellow Americans. We will never forget.
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On September 11, 2001 terrorists sought to attack and destroy our way of life-our democracy, our freedoms, and everything we hold dear as Americans. In that endeavor they failed. In the days that followed, we were all reminded that unity is possible in America. Together, we made clear we will not bend or break in the face of terrorism. We rallied around the victims and their families. We worked to overcome the hate and discrimination that many of our fellow Americans experienced following the attacks. And we fought for the country we love and the ideals we cherish. All of this work continues today.
We remain vigilant against any terrorist threat directed at the United States or the American people and we continue to disrupt terrorist networks wherever we find them.”
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On Sept. 11, 2001 at 8:46 a.m, Flight 11 struck the North Tower of the World Trade Center. #momentofsilence https://t.co/p0lb8cn5tB pic.twitter.com/hQBmAMNQf6
— ABC News (@ABC) September 11, 2024