DALLAS, United States: George W. Bush said Americans risk forgetting the lessons of 9/11 when they embrace isolationism and disregard events overseas that can affect U.S. national security.
The former U.S. president made the remarks alongside Condoleezza Rice at his presidential library in Dallas as the country marked 25 years since the September 11 terrorist attacks.
Bush argued that the United States should support people resisting authoritarian rule, although he said that did not necessarily require deploying American troops.
He pointed to Afghanistan, where the United States launched a war after the 2001 attacks. U.S. forces withdrew in 2021 after a 20-year conflict, and the Taliban returned to power.
Former President George W. Bush reflected on the lasting impact of 9/11 on Tuesday and was asked whether Americans are falling away from the understanding of the terrorist attacks' effect on the U.S., to which he replied, "Yeah, absolutely."
"Our nation occasionally goes to… pic.twitter.com/QmzfZa0ZT8
— CBS News (@CBSNews) September 10, 2026Bush also recalled the moment his then-chief of staff, Andy Card, informed him of the attacks while he was visiting an elementary school. He said he immediately understood that he had become a wartime president.
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Rice and Bush described the uncertainty surrounding United Airlines Flight 93. For about 10 minutes, officials feared the U.S. military might have shot down the passenger aircraft before learning it had crashed near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, after passengers confronted the hijackers.
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Bush also recalled visiting a mosque after the attacks amid reports of harassment targeting Muslims. He said protecting freedom of worship was essential while the United States responded to terrorism.
