Former President George W. Bush stated earlier this week that Americans are failing to heed the lessons of the September 11 terror attacks by turning toward isolationism. Speaking at his presidential center in Dallas alongside former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Bush said many view overseas events as irrelevant to domestic security.

"Our nation occasionally goes through isolationist periods, where the attitude is, 'Well, we've got too many problems at home. Therefore, who cares about what happens overseas?'" Bush said. "Which really means to me they just don't pay attention to the lessons of 9/11, because what happens overseas matters to our national security at home."

The remarks came ahead of the 25th anniversary of the 2001 attacks, which killed nearly 3,000 people. Bush described the day as a clarifying moment that turned him into a wartime president focused on defending the nation. He recalled the immediate aftermath and the surge in national unity, military recruitment, and volunteerism that followed.

Bush advocated for U.S. engagement with those struggling against tyranny, noting that involvement need not require troops. "We ought to at least stand with them and stand beside them because this is what we went through 250 years ago," he said, adding that the desire for freedom remains evident in places like Afghanistan. He rejected notions that people abroad do not understand the value of liberty.

The former president will participate in remembrance events in New York on Friday. His comments contribute to ongoing debates about America's role in the world as the anniversary of the tragedy approaches.