All living former U.S. presidents will attend a September 11 memorial ceremony in New York City on Friday, marking the 25th anniversary of the terrorist attacks. Joe Biden, Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush are confirmed to participate at the National September 11 Memorial and Museum, according to multiple sources familiar with the plans.
The event follows a week of remembrance activities, including a moment of silence at 8:46 a.m. ET—the time the first plane struck the North Tower in 2001—and a reading of victims’ names at the memorial plaza. The ceremony will honor the 2,977 victims of the attacks, excluding the 19 hijackers.
Part 1: Immediate Action & Core Facts
Former presidents to reunite for 9/11 memorial
The attendance of all living former presidents—Biden, Obama, Clinton, and Bush—represents a rare public gathering of the nation’s top executive leaders. Bush, who was president during the attacks, has previously attended memorial events alongside other former commanders-in-chief. The White House has not confirmed whether former President Donald Trump will participate in Friday’s ceremony.
Bush and Rice detail harrowing post-attack decisions in White House bunker
In separate remarks this week, former President George W. Bush and his national security adviser at the time, Condoleezza Rice, described the chaos and pressure they faced in the hours and days following the attacks. Speaking at Bush’s presidential library in Dallas, Rice recounted how the CIA and FBI initially struggled to share intelligence due to civil liberties restrictions, forcing officials to compile threat assessments manually.
"On the day after the attack, we're sitting in the Oval Office and because the FBI and the CIA had not really been able to talk to each other because of civil liberties," Rice said. "For the first time we had to forge intelligence between them by having Bob Mueller and George Tenet come into the Oval Office every morning and show the president what they saw in the threat matrix."
The threat matrix, Rice noted, was the size of a phonebook on the morning of September 12. Bush added that many Americans remain unaware of the sacrifices made in the aftermath, saying, "The sad thing is one-third of our nation has no clue what we're talking about."
Part 2: Deeper Dive & Context
Flight 93 uncertainty: Bush and Rice recall tense moments in bunker
Rice and Bush also recounted a 10-minute period of uncertainty in the White House bunker on September 11, when they believed the U.S. military may have shot down United Airlines Flight 93. Rice described how Transportation Secretary Norm Mineta attempted to land planes using a yellow legal pad while Bush, through Vice President Dick Cheney, had authorized the military to shoot down non-compliant aircraft.
"We thought initially, standing in that bunker, that Flight 93 had been shot down," Rice said. Bush confirmed the recollection, calling it "a horrible moment" where officials sought confirmation on the fate of the plane.
Bush warns Americans ignore lessons of 9/11
In his remarks, Bush emphasized that Americans often overlook the global implications of the attacks, citing periods of isolationism. "Our nation occasionally goes through isolationist periods, where the attitude is, 'Well, we've got too many problems at home. Therefore, who cares about what happens overseas?'" he said. "Which really means to me they just don't pay attention to the lessons of 9/11, because what happens overseas matters to our national security at home."
Bush defended the U.S. intervention in Afghanistan after the attacks, arguing that the goal was to support freedom and prevent tyranny. "We don't have to send troops," he said. "We ought to at least stand with them and stand beside them because this is what we went through 250 years ago."
He also highlighted the plight of Afghan women and girls under Taliban rule, stating, "Young girls going to school for the first time in their lives know the difference. Women becoming doctors and professors know the difference between a free society and a tyrannical society."
Policy and Long-Term Implications
The 25th anniversary of 9/11 comes amid ongoing debates over the legacy of the U.S. response, including the 20-year war in Afghanistan, which ended with the Taliban’s return to power in 2021. Bush’s remarks reflect a continued defense of the initial military intervention, while critics argue the prolonged conflict failed to achieve lasting stability.
The memorial ceremony in New York will serve as a focal point for national reflection, with participants expected to emphasize themes of resilience and unity. Organizers have invited families of the victims, first responders, and survivors to attend the event, which will include a reading of names and a tribute to the first responders who lost their lives in the rescue efforts.