USS Cole commander recalls chilling 9/11 warning at CIA just 20 minutes before first plane hit
Retired Navy Commander’s 9/11 Prediction Comes True 20 Minutes Before Terror Attacks
On the morning that shook the world, a former U.S. destroyer commander warned CIA officials that a catastrophic event would be needed for Americans to fully grasp the terrorism threat. His words, made in the lobby of CIA headquarters, were eerily validated by the attacks that would follow 20 minutes later.
When the U.S. National Security Agency’s Office of Strategic Assessments called up retired Navy Commander Kirk Lippold on the morning of September 11, 2001, he was still fresh from a briefing with a senior CIA intelligence officer about a recent al Qaida‑linked attack on the USS Cole. Lippold, who had commanded the destroyer during the October 12, 2000 raid in Aden, Yemen, was in the thick of a conversation that was already tense as the nation prepared for a day of routine operations.
“America doesn’t understand,” Lippold told the CIA officer, “and I believe it will take a seminal event, probably in this country where hundreds, if not thousands, die before Americans realize we are at war with this guy.” He went on to identify the adversary as Osama bin laden.
Within minutes of delivering that warning, the world would be plunged into chaos. Two planes were hijacked, one slammed into the North Tower of the World Trade Center, and the other struck the South Tower. The explosion in the Pentagon and a fourth plane that crashed in Pennsylvania rounded out the day’s terror attacks, killing nearly 3,000 people and injuring thousands more.
“I was literally leaving the headquarters when the plane hit the South Tower,” Lippold recounted later, on the Fox News “Rundown” podcast marking the 25th anniversary of the attacks. The podcast, which featured his reflections on the USS Cole incident and the broader U.S. response to terrorism, drew attention for the timing and content of Lippold’s remarks.
USS Cole: A Precursor to the Nation’s Worst Day
The USS Cole was hit by two suicide bombers in a small boat in the port of Aden on October 12, 2000. The attackers detonated explosives on a nearby pier, creating a massive blast that ripped a hole in the destroyer’s hull. Seventeen U.S. sailors lost their lives, and 37 others sustained injuries. The attack was one of several that would highlight the growing threat of al Qaida in the years leading up to 9/11, including the 1998 U.S. Embassy bombings in Kenya and Tanzania.
Lippold, who commanded the destroyer at the time, said that the Cole raid “went largely unanswered by U.S. leadership.” He argued that the Pentagon’s reaction to the 9/11 attacks reinforced his belief that the United States had to confront terrorist groups more aggressively. “It really solidified to me the costs that if the United States does not react to the threat of terrorism and to countries that support it, we will continue to pay a price in the future,” he said.
A Call for Global Action
In the wake of the attacks, Lippold urged that terrorism “has to be ruthlessly stopped anywhere around the world,” citing not only conventional attacks but also “drug trafficking, waterborne or vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices.” He underscored the need for a global approach to counter-terrorism that could preempt threats before they reach U.S. soil.
While Lippold’s remarks were made in a casual briefing with CIA officials, they reflected a perspective that many analysts and policymakers would later echo. In the months and years after 9/11, the United States launched a global “War on Terror,” including the invasion of Afghanistan and ongoing counter‑insurgency operations in Iraq and elsewhere.
The Aftermath of a Prediction
Lippold’s words were not an isolated warning. Intelligence analysts had been alerting policymakers to al Qaida’s capabilities, and a 1999 CIA assessment had identified the group as a “significant, credible threat.” Yet, according to Lippold, the American public and many officials did not fully grasp the urgency until the attacks occurred.
The 9/11 memorials and commemorations, including the one hosted by Fox News on its 25th anniversary, have kept these warnings in the public eye. Lippold’s recollection of the CIA briefing, delivered in the lobby of Langley, serves as a stark reminder that the threat of terrorism had been looming for years.
Looking Forward
As the United States continues to confront terrorism in an evolving landscape—one that now includes cyber threats, drone warfare, and hybrid tactics—Lippold’s admonition remains relevant. The nation’s ability to respond swiftly to intelligence and to act decisively against terrorist networks will continue to be tested.
For the 25th anniversary of September 11, the story of a retired commander who warned that a “seminal event” would be needed to bring the nation’s attention to the threat stands as both a sobering reminder and a call to remain vigilant.