Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani stated he told Mayor Zohran Mamdani that he "prays for him all the time" during the 9/11 remembrance ceremony, a moment that occurred despite their recent public disagreement. The exchange took place as both officials attended the solemn ceremony at the Ground Zero memorial.
Giuliani, 82, and Mamdani, 34, shook hands and briefly spoke. This meeting followed public comments made by Giuliani, who had expressed offense at the prospect of Mamdani, the city's first Muslim mayor, attending the 25th anniversary memorial service. Giuliani indicated that Mamdani responded with a simple "Thank you" to his statement.
Giuliani, who was notably dubbed “America’s Mayor” for his leadership after the September 11, 2001 attacks, told The New York Post that he gave Mamdani credit for remaining at the ceremony throughout its duration. "The whole event would have been different," Giuliani said. "It's about respect for the families, the solemness of the occasion."
Despite acknowledging that their differences "haven't changed," Giuliani reiterated his praise for Mamdani's presence until the end of the event. However, Giuliani also expressed concern about Mamdani "hanging around with guys saying 9/11 was our fault."
The exchange at the memorial occurred in the context of a public dispute. Earlier in the week, Giuliani had accused Mamdani of potentially "disturbing the people who are the most important people at that celebration" if he attended the memorial, suggesting Mamdani "stands in direct support of the movement that killed their children." Mamdani, in turn, had emphasized that 9/11 memorial services should focus on the victims, their families, survivors, and first responders, rather than politicians.
Mamdani's administration also released approximately 170,000 previously undisclosed records that appeared to indicate Giuliani's administration was aware of the toxic dangers posed by air quality in the aftermath of 9/11. Mamdani stated that people became ill because trusted leaders told them it was safe to breathe the air. A spokesperson for Giuliani responded that the terrorists were "100 percent responsible" for the suffering and illness endured by New Yorkers, calling Mamdani's actions a "cheap partisan political point" attempt to blame local officials instead of radical Islam.
Giuliani also had a brief, inaudible exchange with Vice President JD Vance at the ceremony. Former Presidents George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, and President Joe Biden attended the National September 11 Memorial in New York. President Donald Trump delivered remarks at the Pentagon. Mamdani was an elementary school student in Manhattan when the attacks occurred, which killed 2,977 people when al-Qaeda terrorists hijacked four commercial airliners.