On September 11, 2026, the United States will mark 25 years since the attacks with an emotional ceremony at Ground Zero. Families will read the names of 2,983 victims, while moments of silence will honor those killed at the World Trade Center, Pentagon and Flight 93, as well as responders who later died from 9/11-related illnesses. For the families, the focus remains simple: remembering the people who never came home. 
Former presidents Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama and Joe Biden are expected to stand together at the memorial. But one name is notably missing: President Donald Trump. The reason reportedly centers on the memorial’s long-standing rule that politicians do not give speeches during the family ceremony. According to reports, Trump wanted to address the gathering, while organizers maintained the no-speeches tradition.
Instead, Trump is expected to commemorate September 11 at the Pentagon, another site directly attacked that morning. His White House has said he will honor those killed, their families and the first responders who risked their lives. That means the current president could be observing the anniversary separately while his four living predecessors gather at Ground Zero.
ONE EMPTY PLACE WILL BE HARD TO MISS. Yet the ceremony itself is designed to keep politics out and remembrance at the center. Twenty-five years later, millions of Americans are too young to remember September 11 firsthand, making this anniversary especially significant. Should the Ground Zero ceremony keep its no-political-speeches tradition, even for a sitting president? 
