Trump speaks at 9/11 memorial ceremony: We will never forget

U.S. President Donald Trump spoke at the memorial ceremony held at the Pentagon on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. In his speech at the ceremony, which was also attended by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Caine, Trump said, "In 25 years, since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, a generation has passed. But time has not dimmed the memory of that day when our country came face to face with true evil."

Stating that approximately 3,000 U.S. citizens lost their lives in the attacks and that many others died in the following weeks and years due to horrific injuries, Trump said, "Today, we repeat the sacred oath we took on their behalf a quarter-century ago. We will never, ever forget."

Stating that the U.S. is facing a test today as well, but that it is passing this test with flying colors, Trump said, "We also salute our soldiers currently on duty for ensuring that Iran, the world's number one state sponsor of terrorism, never, ever possesses nuclear weapons."

In his speech, Trump praised those who sacrificed their lives to save others during the 9/11 attacks, saying, "Our heroes are the kind of people who ran into buildings that morning for strangers they didn't even know and sacrificed their lives. They gave their lives for people they didn't even know."

Saying that the 25 years since the 9/11 attacks have demonstrated the U.S.'s spirit of winning and prevailing, Trump said, "Today our country is stronger than ever. Our country has never been as strong as it is right now. Thanks to this spirit, when future generations come here 25, 100, or 250 years from now, they will be in a country that is free and unbowed in the face of evil, and they will honor the 9/11 heroes whom no era can erase from the memory of time. It will never, ever be forgotten. We never forget," he said.

Hegseth: "9/11 was one of the darkest days in American history"

In his speech, Secretary of Defense Hegseth stated that 184 Americans lost their lives in the attack on the U.S. Department of Defense's Pentagon complex during the 9/11 attacks, saying, "They slaughtered nearly three thousand Americans that day. It is hard to even imagine."

Hegseth said, "September 11, 2001, was one of the darkest days in American history. But evil did not have the final word. And it never will."

In his speech, where he defined Iran as the "world's greatest state sponsor of terrorism," Hegseth said regarding the war with Iran, "The U.S. has killed their leaders, wiped out their air force, and their navies are lying at the bottom of the sea. Their defenses are gone. We continue to send terrorists to the hell where they belong, and tankers to where they belong, which is the bottom of the ocean. And we are ensuring that Iran never possesses nuclear weapons. Economic pressure is increasing every day. We control the strait. We will finish this fight," he said.

Referring to the Bible, Hegseth said, "However, as the Holy Scripture says, we know that there will always be wars and rumors of wars in the world. Therefore, the fight continues."