09/11/2026
As I sit here and reflect on the terrible tragedy that happened 25 years ago today, I think about all the lives we lost as a country and all the heroes who emerged during some of our nation's darkest hours.
I think about my own time serving our country and fighting the War on Terror. I think about the friends I lost on the battlefield and the countless families whose lives were forever changed because of what began that September morning.
There was so much sadness, fear, anger, and uncertainty in a matter of hours.
But every year on the anniversary of September 11, I am also reminded of something else.
**We came together.**
For a time, it didn't matter what your political beliefs were. It didn't matter where you stood on an issue or what side of an argument you were on. Your neighbors were hurting. Your family was hurting. Your friends were hurting.
**Our country was hurting.**
And we stood beside one another.
Twenty-five years later, I sometimes fear that we have forgotten that part of September 11. We remember the planes. We remember the towers. We remember the Pentagon and Flight 93. We remember where we were when we heard the news.
But we also need to remember **September 12th.**
Remember how we treated one another. Remember how we looked after our neighbors. Remember how Americans from every walk of life stood together as one nation.
So today, I ask you to remember the innocent lives we lost. Remember the firefighters, police officers, first responders, service members, and ordinary Americans who became heroes.
But also look around you.
Remember that the person beside you is your neighbor and your fellow American. We will never agree on everything—and we don't have to. But we cannot allow our differences to make us forget that we share this country and its future.
**We were tested 25 years ago, and we persevered together.**
Today, I pray for the families who still carry the pain of those they lost. I pray for my brothers and sisters who served, especially those who never made it home. And I pray that all of us can find our way back to remembering what it means to stand together.
May God bless the families of the fallen.
May God bless those who answered the call.
And may God continue to bless the United States of America. 🇺🇸
**September 11, 2001 — Never Forget.**
