On the 24th anniversary of the September 11 attacks, U.S. President Donald Trump paid tribute to right-wing activist Charlie Kirk, who was shot dead a day earlier while speaking at Utah Valley University. Calling him a “giant of his generation” and a “champion of liberty,” Trump announced at a Pentagon ceremony that Kirk would be posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth also honored Kirk, saying he would never be forgotten.
Commemorations for 9/11 took place across the country, including solemn ceremonies at Ground Zero in Manhattan, the Pentagon, and the crash site of Flight 93 in Pennsylvania. In New York, a moment of silence was observed at 8:46 a.m.—the time Flight 11 struck the North Tower—followed by the ringing of church bells and the reading of victims’ names. Flowers were placed at the 9/11 Memorial’s reflecting pools, honoring the 2,977 victims. Trump also attended the Yankees’ game against the Detroit Tigers at Yankee Stadium, where both New York baseball teams held pregame tributes to mark the anniversary.
Credit: CGTN