NEW YORK, NY – GNUSA
As the US marks the 25th anniversary of 9/11, nearly half of American adults still consider the attacks the most important historic event of their lifetimes -far surpassing any other moment, including the COVID‑19 pandemic, a new poll found.
The Ipsos poll, conducted between August 21–23, shows how deeply the attacks continue to resonate across generations and remain one of the most powerful and enduring touchstones in American life.
Large majorities say 9/11 had a major impact on both the United States (88%) and the world (71%), reflecting broad recognition that the consequences of that day reshaped global politics, national security, and the country’s collective identity. More than half of respondents (57%) believe the attacks significantly shaped their generation, and nearly one in three say the impact reaches them personally (29%) or their families (26%).
The findings also reveal a nation divided over its sense of security. Americans are split on whether the country is safer today than it was before the attacks: 32% believe the US is more secure, 29% say it is less secure, and 36% feel the level of safety is about the same. These mixed views highlight ongoing debates about foreign threats, domestic preparedness, and the legacy of the policies enacted in the years following 9/11.
Three in four Americans (75%) report that they personally remember where they were when they heard news about the attacks. For many, that memory remains as sharp today as it was in 2001.
Generational differences in the poll reflect the passage of time. While a slim majority of adults ages 35-49 and roughly half of those 50 and older cite 9/11 as the most important historic event of their lifetimes, only a third of Americans under 35 say the same. For younger adults, the COVID‑19 pandemic ranks nearly as prominently, signaling how national memory evolves as new defining events emerge.
on September 22, 2001. GANP/ Dimitrios Panagos
