9/11 ceremony live updates: Families to gather at WTC, Pentagon, Shanksville to mark 25 years

Former President Barack Obama, former President Joe Biden, former President George W. Bush and their wives are at Friday morning's New York City 9/11 ceremony.

Other politicians in attendance include New York Sen. Chuck Schumer and former New York City Mayors Rudy Giuliani and Michael Bloomberg.

Vice President JD Vance is also at the lower Manhattan ceremony. President Donald Trump is instead attending the 9/11 tribute at the Pentagon in Virginia, where he's expected to deliver remarks.

In a downpour at daybreak, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and top military officials stood outside and watched as the giant American flag was unfurled on the building struck by a hijacked plane a quarter century ago.

President Donald Trump is set to observe Friday's 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks by attending a ceremony at the Pentagon commemorating the lives lost when al-Qaida militants hijacked planes and killed nearly 3,000 people in three locations, upending American foreign policy and national security.

It's the second year in a row for Trump to mark the day at the Pentagon.

President Donald Trump will attend the 9/11 ceremony at the Pentagon in Virginia and will not be at the New York City ceremony at ground zero, according to a White House official.

Vice President JD Vance will go to Ground Zero, an official said, adding that the three ceremonies at the Pentagon, ground zero and Shanksville, Pennsylvania, will all have administration officials in attendance.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani will attend Friday's remembrance ceremony, where the names of the victims will be read, despite some victims' family members and politicians calling for him to skip the ceremony and then attend a 3 p.m. interfaith service at St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church near Ground Zero.

He also released a video, calling the anniversary a "sacred obligation" to honor those "who were stolen from us" by caring for one another.

Mamdani has attended Sept. 11 ceremonies over the last week at firehouses and police precincts, and has joined volunteers to pack meals as part of a Sept. 11 day of service.

Those who have publicly called for the mayor not to attend, including former Mayor Giuliani, former Gov Pataki and former Fire Commissioner Thomas von Essen, all of whom responded on Sept. 11th, are also expected at Ground Zero for the ceremony.