More than $1 trillion spent to fight terrorism in the U.S. since 9/11

The recent terrorism attacks over the weekend in New York and New Jersey will continue to raise questions about safety in the U.S.

It’s been 15 years since the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, and while we have seen nothing on that scale in the U.S. since, we have seen an increase in isolated “lone wolf” attacks.

Is the United States spending enough to fight terrorism?

The amount of money federal and state governments have spent on homeland security measures to prevent another 9/11 is staggering.

More than $1 trillion dollars has been spent on domestic counterterrorism efforts since al-Qaida hijackers turned passenger planes into guided missiles 15 years ago. Trillions more have gone toward other intelligence and military spending to wage the War on Terror overseas.

Latest on attacks in New York, New Jersey

President Barack Obama says investigators are focusing on a “person of interest” in the New York and New Jersey bombings, but see no connection to the stabbings in Minnesota.

Obama says the country is “extremely fortunate” nobody was killed in the bombings. He says he’s spoken to the governors of New Jersey and New York and pledged all needed federal assistance.

He spoke around the time police in New Jersey arrested Ahmad Khan Rahami, a naturalized U.S. citizen from Afghanistan with an address in Elizabeth, New Jersey. Authorities were looking for him to question him about the bombings.

The president is echoing FBI officials who have said they’re investigating the Minnesota stabbings as a potential act of terrorism.

Obama is urging Americans to report suspicious activity to law enforcement.

Obama is in New York for the annual U.N. General Assembly gathering.

>>> Get the latest on the attacks here

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