As the world marks the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks, the harrowing events of that historic morning remain deeply etched in global memory. For veteran journalists who stood on the front lines of history, the tragedy redefined modern reporting and international geopolitics. Steve Holland, serving as Reuters’ White House correspondent under President George W. Bush—who was approximately eight months into his first term at the age of 54—found himself at the epicenter of the unfolding crisis. What began as a routine presidential trip to an educational event in Sarasota, Florida, transformed instantly into the deadliest attack on U.S. soil since Pearl Harbor. As readers seek comprehensive historical retrospectives and latest updates on this milestone anniversary, BDUS News 24 takes a look back at the chaotic realities of reporting 9/11 in real time. 9 11 25 years on reporter steve holland
Inside Air Force One and Ground Zero: Steve Holland’s 9/11 Memory. 9 11 25 years on reporter steve holland
Recalling the sequence of events, Holland notes that the day started routinely with President Bush jogging on a pre-dawn golf course in Florida. Soon after, while the president was visiting the Emma E. Booker School to read to children, his chief of staff, Andrew Card, delivered the chilling message that America was under attack. As reports flooded in regarding hijacked planes striking the World Trade Center towers and the Pentagon, alongside a fourth plane crashing in a Shanksville, Pennsylvania field, the presidential entourage embarked on a high-security transit through Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana and Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska. Meanwhile, stranded members of the press corps faced a grueling 14-hour charter bus journey back to Washington, D.C., where the first haunting sight was the smoking gash across the Pentagon.
The immediate aftermath transformed Washington into an armed encampment filled with heavy security, grounded commercial air travel, and tense rumors. By September 14, President Bush traveled to Ground Zero in New York City. Accompanied by then-New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, the president addressed exhausted firefighters using a bullhorn handed to him by top aide Karl Rove, delivering the iconic declaration that those who knocked down the buildings would soon hear from everyone. For journalists on the ground, the thick coating of ash, the haunting scent of smoke, and the candlelight vigils held by grieving New Yorkers signaled an undeniable shift toward a permanent war footing.
Lasting Legacies and Historical Impact
Reporting during the 2001 attacks presented extraordinary technical hurdles compared to today’s digital era. Without modern laptops and smartphones readily relied upon today, correspondents had to dictate stories over phones or file brief notes under immense pressure, sometimes grappling with unverified reports circulating in the media rush. Looking back 25 years later, the enduring takeaway for reporters like Holland is how the decisions made that week—from hunting down Osama bin Laden to initiating prolonged conflicts in the Middle East—continue to resonate across generations. Preserved mementos, such as ash-covered shoes tucked away in a closet, serve as solemn reminders of a day that fundamentally changed the course of modern history. For ongoing historical analyses and special anniversary features, continue following BDUS News 24. 9 11 25 years on reporter steve holland
