Trump uses Pentagon 9/11 25th anniversary ceremony to defend the US-Israel war on Iran

During the 25th anniversary ceremony of the September 11 attacks at the Pentagon, President Trump departed from the traditional focus on victims to repeatedly link the legacy of 9/11 to his administration's ongoing war against Iran. Trump called Iran 'the world's number one sponsor of terror' and framed the controversial conflict as a direct continuation of the response to the 2001 attacks, stating the nation fights today because of that oath. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth also spoke, claiming the US had 'laid waste' to Iran's military and declaring that terrorists were being sent 'to hell.' The linkage is factually distorted: the 9/11 attacks were carried out by al-Qaeda, a Sunni extremist group, not Iran, a Shia-majority state. The politicization of the solemn memorial drew criticism, as all living former presidents attended the non-political Ground Zero ceremony in New York.

“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. We don't have a choice. There can only be victory.” Quote verified against source