Former President George W. Bush is opening up about one of the most frightening moments he experienced during the September 11 terrorist attacks — when senior officials briefly believed the U.S. military may have shot down a civilian passenger plane.
Twenty-five years after the attacks that changed America, Bush and former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice reflected on the extraordinary decisions facing the White House as events unfolded on Sept. 11, 2001.
Their recollections offered a glimpse inside the confusion and uncertainty confronting the nation’s leaders as they attempted to determine whether additional hijacked aircraft were still heading toward American targets.
Bush and Rice Recall a Frightening Moment
Rice described being inside a secure bunker as officials worked to respond to an unprecedented national emergency.
By that point, hijackers had demonstrated that commercial aircraft could be turned into weapons. That left the president and military commanders facing an extraordinarily difficult question: What should happen if another aircraft appeared to pose an imminent threat?
Officials were simultaneously trying to clear American airspace and get civilian aircraft safely onto the ground.
Rice recalled that Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta was working to track the massive effort as planes across the country were ordered to land.
At the same time, military officials had to be prepared for the possibility that another hijacked aircraft could be approaching a target.
Then came a terrifying period of uncertainty involving United Airlines Flight 93.
Officials Initially Feared Flight 93 Had Been Shot Down
Rice said officials inside the bunker initially believed the U.S. military might have brought down Flight 93.
Bush said he had the same impression.
For approximately 10 minutes, according to Rice’s account, officials sought confirmation about what had happened to the passenger jet.
The possibility was especially sobering because Bush had authorized the military to respond if another hijacked aircraft presented a serious threat.
Officials eventually learned that Flight 93 had not been shot down by the U.S. military.
The aircraft crashed near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, after passengers and crew members fought back against the hijackers.
Their actions are widely remembered as one of the most courageous chapters of September 11. The plane never reached the hijackers’ intended target.
Rice Remembers the Pressure Facing Bush
For Rice, the uncertainty surrounding Flight 93 demonstrated the enormous responsibility placed on the president during the attacks.
Decisions carrying potentially life-or-death consequences had to be made quickly, sometimes before officials had complete or reliable information about what was happening.
The crisis developed at a speed that was almost unimaginable.
Two hijacked aircraft struck the World Trade Center in New York City. Another hit the Pentagon outside Washington. Flight 93 ultimately crashed in Pennsylvania.
Nearly 3,000 people were killed in the attacks.
For millions of Americans who watched the events unfold on television, Sept. 11 became one of those defining moments when people remember exactly where they were and what they were doing when they first heard the news.
For Bush and the officials surrounding him, however, there was little time to process what they were witnessing.
They had to respond.
Bush’s Day Changed in a Matter of Minutes
Bush began the morning of Sept. 11 during a visit to an elementary school in Sarasota, Florida.
After the first aircraft struck the World Trade Center, there was initially uncertainty about whether the crash had been an accident.
That changed when the second aircraft struck the South Tower.
Bush was informed that America was under attack, setting in motion a day of emergency meetings, military decisions and extraordinary security precautions.
Concerns about the president’s safety prevented an immediate return to Washington. Air Force One traveled to secure locations before Bush eventually returned to the White House.
That evening, he addressed a shaken nation.
25 Years Later, America Remembers
Bush and Rice revisited those memories as part of events marking the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks.
The anniversary is an important milestone for a generation of Americans who experienced the attacks firsthand — and for younger Americans who know Sept. 11 primarily through history books, documentaries and stories passed down by their families.
Bush has also commemorated the anniversary through another deeply personal project: his artwork.
The former president created 16 paintings connected to the courage, sacrifice and resilience Americans displayed following the attacks. The works are being exhibited at the George W. Bush Presidential Center during September.
The Legacy of Flight 93
Among the many stories Americans continue to remember from Sept. 11, the actions aboard Flight 93 remain especially significant.
After learning that other hijacked aircraft had already struck American targets, passengers and crew members attempted to regain control of their plane.
Flight 93 crashed in Pennsylvania before reaching its intended destination.
Their actions became a lasting symbol of courage during one of the darkest days in modern American history.
The temporary belief inside the government’s bunker that the military had shot down the aircraft also illustrates something the public could not fully see at the time: how rapidly senior officials were being forced to make decisions as the country faced an attack unlike anything it had experienced before.
A Day America Has Never Forgotten
A quarter-century has now passed since September 11, but the memories remain powerful for millions of Americans.
Bush and Rice’s recollections provide another window into what was happening behind the scenes while families across the country watched the tragedy unfold.
There was confusion. There were incomplete reports. And there were decisions that could not wait for perfect information.
For Bush, Rice and other officials who were there, the uncertainty surrounding Flight 93 remains a reminder of just how difficult those hours were.
For the country, the 25th anniversary is also an opportunity to remember the victims, honor the first responders and recognize the passengers and crew of Flight 93 whose courage has remained part of America’s September 11 story for a generation.
Twenty-five years later, their sacrifice has not been forgotten.