NEW YORK (AFP) — The United States commemorated the 25th anniversary of the devastating September 11, 2001 attacks Friday with a poignant ceremony in New York marked by President Donald Trump’s absence and searing criticism from victims’ relatives.

In an unusual move, Trump paid his respects at the Pentagon, not the event in New York, where hijacked planes destroyed the World Trade Center and most of the 2,977 victims were killed, upending the global status quo.

The Republican billionaire sought to link the “war on terror” that followed 9/11, which sparked years of US involvement in Middle East wars, with his current conflict in Iran.

“Today we renew the sacred oath that we first swore in their names a quarter of a century ago. We will never, ever forget. That’s why we fight today,” Trump said.

“We don’t have a choice. There can only be victory. We fight hard. We fight to win.”

Vice President JD Vance and Trump’s four living predecessors — Republican George W. Bush, who was in office during the attacks, and Democrats Joe Biden, Barack Obama and Bill Clinton — attended the event at Ground Zero in lower Manhattan.

There, a huge crowd gathered for the somber annual ceremony, which began just after 8:40 a.m. (1240 GMT) and retraces the events of 9/11 minute by minute.

As usual, the names of the victims were read out, and a bell was rung to mark major moments in the attack.

The event is generally apolitical with no speeches.

But several bereaved family members who read out the names of those killed criticized Saudi Arabia and past US leaders’ closeness to the kingdom.

Terry Strada, whose husband Tom........

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