It wasn’t just our country under attack. Our values, national identity, and everything this country was founded on were tested. Thousands of innocent people—men, women, parents, children, and friends—were taken from us in an evil, coordinated effort to bring our country to its knees.

But this attempt to break us failed. Americans did not fall into chaos or fear as our enemies wished. Our nation came together on September 11 through the bravery of first responders and the kindness of strangers.

We will never forget those we lost or the impact it had on their families. And most importantly, we will never forget how our nation came together in the darkest hours. We need to draw upon that same strength today, especially in light of the recent, senseless, and brazen taking of innocent life from people seeking freedom - and truth.

We must stand as we did 24 years ago: unified and strong, as one nation, under God.

With gratitude,