Why 9/11 conspiracy theories survived 25 years

Published September 12, 2026 9:00am ET



The tragic events of 9/11 were caused when 19 Islamic terrorists boarded four commercial aircraft and flew them toward targets in New York City and Washington, D.C. Two planes hit the World Trade Center’s Twin Towers, causing the towers and three surrounding buildings to collapse, one plane struck the Pentagon, and the fourth was driven by the hijackers into a rural Pennsylvania field after its passengers fought back.

Twenty-five years later, however, thousands of Americans still don’t believe that’s the whole story.

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