Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani is in critical but stable condition after being hospitalized Sunday with pneumonia, his spokesperson said Monday. The illness was compounded by a restrictive airway disease he developed during his response to the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
Giuliani, 81, was mayor when al Qaeda hijackers crashed planes into the World Trade Center. He famously rushed toward the towers to assist victims, which later led to the chronic lung condition. Spokesperson Ted Goodman posted on X that Giuliani's restrictive airway disease "adds complications to any respiratory illness, and the virus quickly overwhelmed his body, requiring mechanical ventilation to maintain adequate oxygen and stabilize his condition."
Goodman reported that Giuliani is now breathing on his own and is surrounded by family and his primary care physician. "Mayor Giuliani is the ultimate fighter—as he has demonstrated throughout his life—and he is winning this battle," Goodman wrote. He added that the family is grateful for the support and that Giuliani believes in the power of prayer.
President Donald Trump, who relied on Giuliani as a personal lawyer and adviser during his 2016 campaign and first term, offered public support on Truth Social. Trump called Giuliani "a True Warrior, and the Best Mayor in the History of New York City, BY FAR," and lamented what he described as unfair treatment by Democrats and the media. "They cheated on the Elections, fabricated hundreds of stories, did anything possible to destroy our Nation, and now, look at Rudy. So sad!" Trump wrote.
Giuliani is a polarizing figure. As mayor from 1994 to 2001, he was celebrated for tough-on-crime policies that helped reduce violence in New York. But his post-mayoral legacy has been defined by his role in efforts to overturn the 2020 election results on Trump's behalf. He was disbarred in New York and Washington, D.C., and ordered to pay $148 million in a defamation suit brought by two Georgia election workers. Trump pardoned him last November.
Political and Health Context
Giuliani's hospitalization has drawn attention to the long-term health consequences of 9/11 exposure. Many first responders and recovery workers have suffered chronic respiratory issues. For Giuliani, the restrictive airway disease made a routine pneumonia case far more dangerous. Goodman said the infection "quickly overwhelmed his body," necessitating mechanical ventilation.
The news comes amid a politically charged atmosphere. Giuliani remains a key figure in ongoing debates about election integrity and legal accountability. His condition has also prompted broader discussions about political violence and polarization, with some former officials calling for unity.
For now, Giuliani's family and medical team are focused on his recovery. Goodman said the mayor "remains in critical but stable condition" and is responding to treatment. He did not provide a timeline for release from the hospital.
