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On September 11, 2001, a tower of flames erupted in New York as a hijacked commercial airplane deliberately crashed into the North Tower of the World Trade Center. The attack, carried out in coordination with others, resulted in nearly 3,000 fatalities. A moment of silence was observed at 8:46 a.m., marking the exact time Flight 11 struck the tower, accompanied by the tolling of bells and a reading of victims’ names across the city’s places of worship.
Today, New York commemorates the 24th anniversary of those devastating events that profoundly altered the nation. Vice President JD Vance participated in memorial ceremonies at Ground Zero, where the twin towers once stood—areas marked now by memorial pools. The attacks also involved a plane crashing into the Pentagon and another, Flight 93, being overtaken by passengers who steered it away from its intended target into Pennsylvania countryside.
This year’s observance unfolds amid intense political divisions within the city and across the country. New York’s mayoral race features candidate Zohran Mamdani, a democratic socialist, contending with former governor Andrew Cuomo and incumbent Mayor Eric Adams, with elections scheduled for November 4. Candidate Mamdani, leading in recent polls, has spoken candidly about the discrimination faced by many New Yorkers, especially Muslims, following 9/11.
There was uncertainty whether President Trump would attend this year’s commemoration, after previous years’ participation. The memorial events include a citywide moment of silence followed by neighborhood bells ringing, as families of victims recite their loved ones’ names. The official death toll from the attacks remains at 2,977, encompassing passengers, crew, first responders, and military personnel, with the hijackers excluded from this count.
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