Bill Clinton to Honor Victims of Oklahoma 1995 Bombing/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Former President Bill Clinton will deliver the keynote address at the 30th anniversary remembrance of the Oklahoma City bombing. The 1995 domestic terror attack killed 168 people. Clinton, praised for his response at the time, returns to honor victims and reflect on the nation’s grief and healing.
Clinton Honors Oklahoma City Victims — Quick Look
- 30th anniversary of Oklahoma City bombing observed Saturday
- Former President Bill Clinton delivers keynote address
- 168 people died in the 1995 federal building attack
- Clinton reflects on national grief and healing
- Remembrance ceremony moved indoors due to weather
- Event held at Oklahoma City National Memorial Museum
- 19 children were among those killed in bombing
- Museum continues to educate about political violence’s impact
Deep Look: Bill Clinton Returns to Oklahoma City 30 Years After Tragedy
Deep Looks
OKLAHOMA CITY (April 19, 2025) —
Former President Bill Clinton returns to Oklahoma City today, three decades after one of the darkest days in modern American history, to help commemorate the 30th anniversary of the 1995 bombing that claimed 168 lives and left a permanent scar on the nation.
The somber remembrance ceremony, scheduled for 8:30 a.m., was moved indoors to a nearby church due to forecasted storms. Clinton, 78, will deliver the keynote address as he joins survivors, family members of the victims, and community leaders in honoring those lost in the devastating truck bombing that destroyed the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building on April 19, 1995.
Clinton, who was president at the time of the attack, became a key figure in helping Oklahoma City — and the nation — process its grief. He has described the tragedy as a pivotal moment in his presidency and a deeply personal experience that shaped his leadership.
“The nation’s eyes were there. The nation’s heart was broken there,” Clinton said in a video message ahead of the ceremony, posted to the Clinton Foundation website. “I was privately praying that I would find the right words, the right tone, the right rhythm to somehow get into the mind and heart of as many Americans as possible.”
The Oklahoma City bombing, perpetrated by Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols in what remains the deadliest act of domestic terrorism in U.S. history, shocked the country and ushered in a renewed focus on homegrown extremism. Among the dead were 19 children, many of whom had been in a daycare center inside the building.
Clinton’s presence at this anniversary underscores the enduring national significance of the tragedy. He has returned to the site multiple times since 1995, delivering heartfelt addresses during past milestone commemorations and offering unwavering support for the memorial’s mission.
The Oklahoma City National Memorial Museum, which stands where the Murrah Building once did, now serves as a permanent place of remembrance and education. Kari Watkins, president and CEO of the museum, said the institution’s role has evolved over the years as a new generation grows up with no firsthand memory of the attack.
“We knew when we built this place we would some day reach a generation of people who weren’t born or who didn’t remember the story,” Watkins said. “I think now, not just kids are coming through more and more, but teachers who are teaching those kids.”
The memorial’s design includes 168 empty chairs—one for each life lost—symbolizing absence and remembrance. Each year, family members, survivors, and local residents gather for a reading of the names and to reflect on how the bombing altered lives and reshaped the city’s identity.
This year’s anniversary comes at a time of increased political polarization in the United States. Memorial organizers say the lessons of Oklahoma City are more important than ever — a warning about the dangers of domestic radicalization and the cost of violence driven by ideology.
“It’s about remembering, but it’s also about learning,” Watkins said. “This place helps us understand the real, human cost of extremism.”
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