Donald Trump and his defence secretary, Pete Hegseth, used remarks at the Pentagon during the 25th anniversary memorial for the 9/11 attacks to argue that the US-Israel war against Iran is connected to the legacy of the worst terrorist incident in American history.
While ceremonies on September 11 typically focus on those killed in 2001, the president and Mr Hegseth instead pointed to the war launched more than six months ago, which has no stated end date.
Pentagon Remarks
Speaking at the Pentagon, which was hit by a hijacked airliner on 9/11 and where 64 people died on the aircraft and 125 in the building, Mr Trump said the United States remained engaged in the conflict started after the attacks.
He said the country “salute[s] every member of the United States military who served in the ‘war on terror’”, and added that troops currently deployed were helping ensure Iran, which he described as the Islamic Republic, could not obtain a nuclear weapon.
Mr Trump also faced criticism for staying in Washington rather than travelling to New York for the main memorial at Ground Zero, where the World Trade Center was destroyed. His vice-president, JD Vance, attended the ceremony.
Campaign Framed As Oath
Closing his speech, Mr Trump sought to link his administration’s Iran campaign with the commemorations for the 9/11 victims.
“Today we renew the sacred oath that we first swore in their names a quarter of a century ago. We will never, ever forget,” he said, before adding: “That’s why we fight today. We don’t have a choice. There can only be victory. We fight hard. We fight to win.”
He presented the Iran war as a continuation of obligations he said were set out at the time of the 9/11 attacks, describing the campaign as a requirement rather than a political decision.
Hegseth Warns On Iran And Home Threats
Earlier, Mr Hegseth delivered a more forceful address at the memorial, portraying the Iran war as part of a long-running struggle against what he characterised as an “Islamic theocracy” that, he said, had tried to harm the United States for nearly half a century.
He claimed Iran’s military defences “are gone”, although the article notes that there is evidence suggesting the opposite. Mr Hegseth said US forces would keep striking, adding: “we’re still sending terrorists where they belong”, and said the US also aimed to target shipping and disrupt Iran’s support networks.
“The economic pressure tightens every day,” he said, presenting sanctions and other measures as part of the ongoing campaign.
Mr Hegseth also warned that threats were not limited overseas, telling the audience that “enemies plot to curb our power and kill our citizens”, including through Islamic terrorists both abroad and inside the United States. He credited Mr Trump with dismantling Iran’s military capabilities and called for a new generation of “strong, brave warriors”, saying they would respond decisively when required, using the phrase: “send me”.
Widow Urges Accountability For Saudi Role
At a separate memorial in New York City, Terry Strada, the widow of a victim of the attacks, appealed to the Trump administration to hold Saudi Arabia accountable for what she said was alleged support for the terrorists responsible for 9/11.
“It has been one betrayal after another. President Trump can still change that,” she said. “Tell the Saudis to stop lying. Tell them that if they want to be friends with the USA, they cannot continue to deny all of this – all of the pain, all of the destruction that we have all been suffering through.”
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12 September 2026
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