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U.S. Department of Justice
Twenty-five years ago, our nation faced an unprecedented attack that claimed nearly 3,000 innocent lives and forever changed the course of American history. At the Department of Justice, we pause to remember those we lost, the victims, the first responders, and the heroes who gave everything in service to others. We stand with their families and loved ones, whose grief remains as real today as it was a quarter-century ago.
The events of September 11, 2001, profoundly transformed the Department of Justice and redefined our mission in ways that continue to shape our work today.
A New Era of National Security
In the aftermath of the attacks, preventing terrorism became a central priority alongside our traditional law enforcement responsibilities. The Department of Justice fundamentally reorganized how we approach threats to our homeland, breaking down barriers between intelligence and law enforcement, fostering unprecedented collaboration across federal, state, and local agencies, and developing new tools and authorities to detect and disrupt terrorist plots before they could be carried out.
The creation of the National Security Division in 2006 formalized this shift, bringing together counterterrorism, counterintelligence, and foreign investment review under one roof. Today, our national security prosecutors, investigators, and analysts work around the clock to protect Americans from evolving threats.
Balancing Security and Liberty
The years following 9/11 also brought profound questions about how to keep Americans safe while preserving the civil liberties and constitutional rights that define us as a nation. This balance has been, and continues to be, one of the defining challenges of our time.
We have learned hard lessons about transparency, oversight, and accountability. We have strengthened protections for privacy and civil rights even as we’ve enhanced our security capabilities. This ongoing effort to protect both security and liberty reflects our commitment to the Constitution and to the values those who died on 9/11 were defending.
Honoring Service and Sacrifice
The transformation of the Department extended to our people as well. A new generation of prosecutors, agents, analysts, and staff joined our ranks motivated by the events of that day, bringing with them a deep sense of purpose and mission. Many have spent their entire careers in this work, dedicating themselves to ensuring that such an attack never happens again on American soil.
We also remember the Department of Justice employees who responded in the immediate aftermath, those who deployed to Ground Zero, supported victim families, investigated the attacks, and prosecuted those responsible. Their service exemplifies the dedication that continues to drive our work.
Looking Forward
Twenty-five years later, the threat landscape has evolved. Terrorism remains a serious concern, but it has been joined by cybersecurity threats, foreign interference, ransomware attacks, and other challenges that would have been difficult to imagine in 2001. The organizational changes, partnerships, and mindset shifts born from 9/11 have positioned us to meet these new challenges head-on.
As we commemorate this solemn anniversary, we renew our commitment to the mission that emerged from that tragedy: to protect the American people, uphold the Constitution, and ensure that justice is served. We do this work in memory of those we lost and in service to the country they loved.
We will never forget September 11, 2001. And we will never stop working to honor the memory of those we lost by keeping America safe and just.
The U.S. Department of Justice Museum
Preserving the past. Informing the present. Inspiring the future.
Updated August 28, 2026
