Who was president during 9/11? George W. Bush was the U.S. president on September 11, 2001, and he led the national response to the attacks, according to the George W. Bush Presidential Library and White House archives.
Records at the George W. Bush Presidential Library state that the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks “killed 2,977 people and changed the world as we knew it,” and note that “President George W. Bush led the national response in the uncertain days” after the strikes.
Contemporary accounts place Bush in a classroom at Emma E. Booker Elementary School in Sarasota, Florida, when aides informed him of the first plane hits; several outlets report students and teachers watched the president learn of the attacks that morning.
White House archival material and later reporting describe how Bush, as president, addressed the nation that evening and convened national security meetings aboard Air Force One; the archived presidential biography describes the attacks as transforming Bush into a wartime president and lists actions his administration took in response.
On the 25th anniversary of the attacks, outlets covering remembrance events and remarks note Bush’s role that day and in the years after; the Reuters retrospective recounts his presence in Sarasota on the eve of Sept. 11, 2001, and his subsequent public statements and visits to Ground Zero in the days that followed.
Understanding who was president during 9/11 helps place the policy decisions and the U.S. response in context. The White House archives and presidential center materials are primary sources for the timeline of events and the administration’s immediate measures.
For contemporary coverage and reflections on the 25th anniversary, see reporting and remarks collected this week from former officials and memorial events.
Internal coverage on this site includes recent anniversary reflections and related commentary.
Two related pieces from our archive: George W. Bush reflects on 25th anniversary of 9/11 and Condoleezza Rice reflects on 9/11.
Sources
- George W. Bush Presidential Library — timeline and description that “President George W. Bush led the national response” to the September 11 attacks.
- Obama White House Archives — presidential biography noting Bush served as the 43rd president and that the 9/11 attacks “transformed George W. Bush into a wartime President.”
- Reuters — retrospective reporting placing Bush in Sarasota, Florida, on the morning of Sept. 11 and recounting his actions in the days after the attacks.
- ABC News — accounts from students and staff who remember Bush learning of the attacks while visiting Emma E. Booker Elementary School.
