United States Marks 25th Anniversary of September 11 Attacks

The United States is marking the 25th anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks in September 2026. Commemorations include media tributes and reflections on the long-term political and psychic impact of the event, including the immediate response in the White House Situation Room and the first-ever invocation of Article 5 by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

Reflections on the post-9/11 era acknowledge the success in preventing similar mass-casualty attacks but criticize the invasion of Iraq and the eventual failure in Afghanistan. These historical critiques now intersect with current policy disputes regarding the second administration of Donald Trump.

Critics argue that the 2026 Counterterrorism Strategy implemented by the Trump administration politicizes the definition of terrorism by prioritizing drug cartels and left-wing extremists while ignoring right-wing threats. Furthermore, the administration's 2026 military operations against Iran are described as a repetition of past errors, specifically because they were launched without the allied solidarity that characterized the global response following the 2001 attacks.