Giuliani Says He Told Mayor Mamdani "I Pray For You All The Time" During 9/11 Handshake

Former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani says he told Mayor Zohran Mamdani that he prays for him "all the time" during a brief handshake at the 25th anniversary ceremony for the Sept. 11 attacks.

Giuliani, 82, told the New York Post the exchange occurred when the two men unexpectedly faced one another at the National September 11 Memorial plaza in Lower Manhattan. "We ended up facing each other. I said, 'I pray for you all the time,'" he said. According to Giuliani's account, Mamdani, 34, replied, "Thank you."

"We realized that if either one of us turned our backs [on the other], that would have been the story," Giuliani told the Post, adding that shaking hands preserved the solemn focus of the event. "It's about respect for the families, the solemnity of the occasion."

Giuliani had publicly urged Mamdani not to attend the ceremony, saying he was offended by the mayor's presence and questioning some of Mamdani's associations and past remarks. In particular, Giuliani criticized Mamdani's ties to controversial figures, including podcast host Hasan Piker, whom Giuliani said has made inflammatory comments about the 9/11 attacks.

Despite the pre-ceremony tensions, Giuliani offered a measure of praise for Mamdani, saying the mayor deserved credit for staying through the end of the ceremony. "He stayed until the very end. I give him credit for that," Giuliani said, while emphasizing that their political differences "are strong and haven't changed."

The brief handshake — captured on video during the ceremony — drew attention because of Giuliani's earlier criticisms, but the Post described the moment as civil. Mamdani has maintained that the anniversary should remain focused on victims, families, survivors and first responders rather than political disputes.

This account is based on Giuliani's comments to the New York Post and media coverage of the event.