Washington: US President Donald Trump affirmed on Thursday the restoration of the name of the Department of War would be a fundamental change in its work and orientations. Commemorating the September 11 anniversary at the White House, Trump said: "That terrible morning, 24 years ago, time itself stood still. The laughter of schoolchildren fell silent. The rush of hour traffic came to an absolute halt. And for 2,977 innocent souls and their families, the entire world came crashing down so suddenly."
According to Kuwait News Agency, Trump noted that 84 years ago, the banks of the Potomac were filled with the clamor of construction workers who broke ground on the Pentagon on September 11th, 1941. At the time, it was the biggest building ever built. From that moment forward, this structure stood as a monument to American strength, power, and cherished American freedom. "Exactly six decades later, on September 11th, 2001, those same walls built with the sweat, muscle, and blood of our parents and grandparents, were scarred by flame and shaken by terror as our country came face to face with pure evil," he said.
Trump continued by reflecting on that fateful day, stating, "On that fateful day, savage monsters attacked the very symbols of our civilization. Yet here in Virginia and in New York and in the skies over Pennsylvania, Americans did not hesitate. They stood on their feet and they showed the world that we will never yield, we will never bend, we will never give up and our great American flag will never ever fail."
He expressed solidarity with those who still feel a void in their lives, saying, "To every member that still feels a void every day of your lives, the first lady and I unite with you in sorrow. And today, as one nation, we renew our sacred vow that we will never forget September 11th, 2001."
Trump emphasized the resilience of the American spirit, noting, "In America, we take blows, but we never buckle, we bleed but we do not bow and we defy the fear, endure the flames and emerge from the crucible of every hardship, stronger, prouder and greater than ever before."
Highlighting the role of American heroes, Trump said, "That day, we learned that the American heroic spirit was all around us. We saw it in the police officers -- The great firefighters, the service members here at the Pentagon and in the hearts of every American who answered history's call."
Trump reiterated the message of American strength by saying, "In the years that followed, America's warriors avenged our fallen and sent an unmistakable message to every enemy around the world -- if you attack the United States of America, we will hunt you down and we will find you."
Explaining the rationale behind the name restoration, Trump stated, "That's why we named the former Department of Defense, the Department of War. It will be different. We won the First World War. We won the Second World War. We won everything before that and in between."
He concluded his remarks by honoring American heroes and pledging continued defense of the nation, "This morning, we recall the light of America's best and bravest and the love that they showed in their final moments. In their memory, we make a solemn pledge and a noble promise. We will honor always our great heroes, and you are our heroes."