Rudy Giuliani denies accusations that he or his administration hid information about dangerous airborne toxins after the September 11 attacks, saying his team posted records and that the EPA initially declared the air safe. The statements come after Mayor Zohran Mamdani released about 170,000 documents related to Ground Zero air quality. An October 2001 memo in the files warned that health advisories had led some people to return too soon and others too late, according to CNN. Health advocates say multiple mayoral administrations withheld important information about chemical risks.
Giuliani Rejects Claims He Hid 9/11 Air-Quality Evidence After Mayor Releases 170,000 Documents
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Former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani has denied allegations that he or his administration concealed information about hazardous airborne contaminants in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 attacks.
"My administration posted everything," Giuliani, 82, told the New York Post on Thursday, September 24. "EPA initially said everything was safe. I was at the end of my administration when 9/11 happened. I was told approximately 10 months after I left office that more information was known."
New Documents Prompt Renewed Scrutiny
The remarks follow a decision by Mayor Zohran Mamdani's administration to release roughly 170,000 documents detailing air-quality assessments, internal discussions and related communications about Ground Zero after the attacks. The disclosure arrived as New Yorkers and officials marked the 25th anniversary of 9/11.
"People got sick because the leaders they trusted lied and told them they were safe to breathe in toxic air," Mamdani, 34, said on September 8, three days before the anniversary.
Among the newly released materials was an October 2001 memo cited by CNN that warned "health advisories caused individuals either to return to the area too soon (causing toxic exposure or emotional harm) or too late (causing economic hardship)."
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Responses And Context
Giuliani, who served as mayor from January 1, 1994, to December 31, 2001, maintains his administration made records available and notes early federal assessments from the Environmental Protection Agency initially characterized the air as safe. Critics and health advocates, however, say the newly disclosed documents show city officials across multiple administrations were aware of risks and did not fully disclose them to the public, workers or lawmakers.
Benjamin Chevat, executive director of 9/11 Health Watch, told the New York Post that "for 25 years, four different mayoral administrations kept from the public, the US Congress, and the City Council documents showing what the city actually knew about the danger of the toxic chemicals in Lower Manhattan and Western Brooklyn after the World Trade Center collapse — even as city officials continued messaging to the public that the air was 'safe and acceptable.'"
The release has renewed calls for greater transparency and accountability regarding the official response to air-quality risks at Ground Zero and the long-term health consequences faced by first responders, recovery workers and nearby residents.
What We Know: The controversy centers on whether relevant documents and warnings were withheld or downplayed, the timing and nature of public messaging about safety, and what additional steps should be taken now to address the health needs of those affected.
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