On Friday, the United States paused to remember the nearly 3,000 people killed in the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, marking a quarter-century since the day that reshaped American foreign policy and domestic security. Commemorations took place from New York to Pennsylvania to the Pentagon, with moments of silence, wreath-laying, and the reading of victims' names.
At Ground Zero in Lower Manhattan, relatives of the victims gathered as they have every year since 2002. Traditionally, the ceremony is free of political speeches; instead, family members read aloud the names of the dead, paid tribute to the first responders who rushed into the burning towers, and appealed for national unity. This year, however, the event was not without controversy.
New York City's mayor, Zohran Mamdani, attended the ceremony despite a campaign urging him to stay away. The campaign, backed by former Mayor Rudy Giuliani and the right-wing New York Post, gathered more than 100,000 signatures on a petition accusing Mamdani of ties to individuals seen as dismissive of US institutions or extremist ideologies. Mamdani, the city's first Muslim mayor, has been praised recently for releasing documents that revealed what city officials knew about toxic air in Lower Manhattan after the attacks—air quality that has been linked to cancers affecting thousands of New Yorkers.
President Donald Trump chose to attend a ceremony at the Pentagon rather than in New York, a decision that drew criticism from some victims' relatives. In his remarks, Trump linked the post-9/11 “war on terror” to the current conflict in Iran. “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,” he said.
Security vs. freedom: the enduring legacy
The attacks of 9/11 had a profound and lasting impact on American life. They transformed air travel, leading to the creation of the Transportation Security Administration and the widespread use of body scanners and shoe removal. The Department of Homeland Security was established, consolidating 22 federal agencies. New surveillance and intelligence-gathering powers were granted under the USA PATRIOT Act, and banking regulations were tightened to cut off terrorist financing.
The attacks also fostered a culture of individual vigilance, summed up by the slogan “if you see something, say something.” A wave of patriotism encouraged many Americans to enlist in the military or join fire and police departments. Yet the same period saw a rise in mistrust, prejudice, and hate crimes against Muslims in the United States—a shadow that has lingered for 25 years.
Today, Muslim Americans have an increasingly visible role in public life. Zohran Mamdani's election as mayor of New York is a symbol of that change, even as it has provoked backlash. His presence at the Ground Zero ceremony was a reminder of how far the country has come, and how much remains contested.
The legacy of 9/11 extends beyond American borders. In Europe, the attacks prompted a reevaluation of counter-terrorism cooperation and intelligence sharing among EU member states. The debate over the balance between security and freedom resonates in capitals from Berlin to Paris, as governments grapple with similar questions in the face of ongoing threats. For a deeper look at how Europe is navigating these challenges, see this analysis of the 9/11 legacy in Europe.
As the US commemorates this somber anniversary, the echoes of that September morning continue to shape politics, policy, and personal memories. The names read aloud at Ground Zero are not just a roll call of the dead; they are a reminder of the enduring cost of terrorism—and the ongoing struggle to define what security means in a free society.
