On the 25th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks, a ceremony was held at the Pentagon to honor the 184 people killed when American Airlines Flight 77 struck the building. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who leads the nation’s defense apparatus, was expected to deliver a respectful tribute. Instead, he shifted focus from the tragedy to a critique of Iran and praise for President Donald Trump’s policy toward the country.
Hegseth’s address framed the 9/11 attacks as a catalyst for the United States’ “righteous response” and linked it to the ongoing war against Iran. He described Iranian officials as ‘Islamic terrorists’ and lauded U.S. actions against what he called an ‘Islamist threat.’ The speech also praised Trump for ‘killing their leaders’ and ‘destroying their Air Force,’ and claimed the Iranian navy had been sent ‘to the bottom of the sea.’ The remarks were widely seen as inappropriate for a memorial event.
In contrast, former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who had served as national security adviser before 9/11, spoke earlier at the ceremony. She apologized for the Bush administration’s failure to share intelligence that might have prevented the attacks, expressed personal remorse for the families’ pain, and called the absence of a follow‑up attack a ‘miracle’ that Americans should be grateful for.
President Trump, who attended the Pentagon’s annual commemoration, delivered a more conventional speech. He recounted the stories of individuals who died in the four hijackings, described the terror of the attacks, and emphasized the resilience of the American spirit over the past quarter century.
Hegseth, who has been in charge of the Pentagon for nearly two years and has reportedly expressed presidential ambitions, may need to adjust his public messaging. While Trump is known for improvisation at rallies, he has shown an ability to deliver prepared remarks when appropriate, as demonstrated at the ceremony.
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