President Donald Trump, at a Pentagon remembrance event on the 25th anniversary of 9-11, vowed that America would continue the fight against what he called a “sick, horrible terror”.

“We will never, ever forget,” Trump said. “That's why we fight today. We don't have a choice. There can only be victory.”

The attacks on September 11, 2001 were the deadliest on U.S. soil with nearly 3,000 people killed when hijacked planes slammed into the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and a field in Pennsylvania.

At the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, American Airlines Flight 77 struck the building's west flank, killing 184 people.

The president used his speech to make the case for the Iran war, which he has defended as necessary to prevent Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons.

“We salute the service members working right now to ensure the world's number one sponsor of terror, the Islamic Republic of Iran, will never, ever have a nuclear weapon,” Trump said.

The 9-11 attacks initiated the "war on terror," which led to the U.S. invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq that lasted years. The resulting public backlash helped fuel Trump's rise a decade ago, when he vowed not to start new foreign entanglements — a promise being tested by the Iran war.

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'There can only be victory' - Trump, at Pentagon 9/11 ceremony, says US continuing fight against terror

VIDEO SHOWS: DONALD TRUMP SPEAKING AT PENTAGON 9/11 REMEMBRANCE CEREMONY

RESENDING WITH FULL SHOTLIST AND SCRIPT

SHOWS: ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA, UNITED STATES (SEPTEMBER 11, 2026) (UNRESTRICTED POOL – Access all)

1. U.S. PRESIDENT, DONALD TRUMP, STEPPING TO PODIUM AT 9/11 REMEMBRANCE CEREMONY AT THE PENTAGON AFTER HE IS INTRODUCED BY U.S. SECRETARY OF DEFENSE, PETE HEGSETH

2. (SOUNDBITE)(English) U.S. PRESIDENT, DONALD TRUMP, SAYING:

“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. We fight hard. We fight to win. We will always remember the victims and the families of September 11th, 2001. Very famous date, unfortunately.”

3. WHITE FLASH

4. (SOUNDBITE)(English) U.S. PRESIDENT, DONALD TRUMP, SAYING:

“We cannot forget that moment of immense and horrible evil that took place in this world, bent on the destruction of all that is good. But this morning, we also remember how America responded to that wickedness. On days like 9-11, we learn what a country is truly made of. We're learning right now what we're made of, and we have to be strong and we has to be smart.”

5. WHITE FLASH

6. (SOUNDBITE)(English) U.S. PRESIDENT, DONALD TRUMP, SAYING:

“Today, as we remember the many lives lost on 9-11 we also give thanks for the countless lives saved by the immortal heroes of Flight 93. In those harrowing days after the attacks, we saw the authentic spirit of our nation. We were all New Yorkers that day, every one of us, we were all new Yorkers. But we were also all Americans. We were all family. We were patriots. The enemy might destroy what American hands had built, but we could not touch the fight and the fire and the love in our great American hearts.

7. WHITE FLASH

8. (SOUNDBITE)(English) U.S. PRESIDENT, DONALD TRUMP, SAYING:

“In the generation since 9-11, American sons and daughters have traveled to the darkest corners of the earth, and done battle with a shadowy enemy so that our children might once again know carefree days and cloudless skies. For 25 years, our best and bravest have kept America safe. And today, we salute every member of the United States military who served in the war on terror. It is a war on sick, horrible terror.”

9. WHITE FLASH

10. (SOUNDBITE)(English) U.S. PRESIDENT, DONALD TRUMP, SAYING:

“And we salute the service members working right now to ensure the world's number one sponsor of terror, the Islamic Republic of Iran, will never, ever have a nuclear weapon.”

11. WHITE FLASH

12. (SOUNDBITE)(English) U.S. PRESIDENT, DONALD TRUMP, SAYING:

“God bless our 9-11 families. God bless our unbelievable, brave, and beautiful first responders. God bless the United States military. And God bless America. Thank you very much.