Rudy Giuliani’s Message to Zohran Mamdani During 9/11 Memorial Handshake Revealed

Screenshot via X

Rudy Giuliani spent the days leading up to the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks spewing vitriol at New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani (D) — but when they were finally face to face, he took a surprising stance.

The man once known as America’s Mayor — who has since been tainted by his efforts to push President Donald Trump’s false claims about the 2020 presidential election — had a simple message for Mamdani, the city’s first Muslim mayor.

“I’ll pray for you. It’s a really tough job,” Giuliani, 82, told Mamdani as the mayor walked up to his predecessor and shook hands before the lengthy memorial service began.

It was an extraordinary moment in more ways than one.

On one hand, the scene portrayed the dichotomy of the man lauded by many for his tenure at City Hall, who was in office the day terrorists flew planes into the Twin Towers, offering advice to someone who was just 9-years-old the day the attack wreaked havoc across the city.

Aides for both men confirmed the gist of the handshake message to The New York Times.

But what made the poignant exchange far more notable was what came before the somber day in Downtown Manhattan.

Giuliani spoke to Newsmax on Sunday, unleashing on Mamdani — who had prompted the ire of 9/11 families who campaigned for him to stay away from the event.

Mamdani also angered many last week during an event in which he signed an executive order and passed the ceremonial pen to NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch, who then handed it to Mamdani’s chief counsel, Ramzi Kassem, who once represented al-Qaeda operative Ahmed al-Darbi.

“Frankly, whatever he’d like to say, he doesn’t agree that Sept. 11 was an Islamic terrorist attack on the United States of America,” Giuliani said. “Having lost friends there, and being very close to many of the families, it offends me that he’s coming.”

The former Trump lawyer also took a swipe at Mamdani’s religion.

“They have every desire to take us over. This is not, they want to be just another religion, they want to dominate us. Mamdani is a clear supporter of that,” the former mayor wildly said of all Muslims.

Mamdani didn’t reveal what Giuliani told him Friday when they finally came face to face, but spoke to CBS News afterward.

“We both extended our hand and exchanged pleasantries and I think the focus for all of us is to focus on the families, focus on the first responders and to be here and hear the names of all those who were stolen from us 25 years ago and of how the families have persevered through that time. I’m truly in awe of all that these families have given us.

When asked if Giuliani addressed his prior comments, Mamdani demurred.

“We just shook hands, and I think we were both here to ensure the focus remained on the families.”

The two mayors — along with former NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg, 84, who took over the job from Giuliani and oversaw much of the city’s immediate recovery – were the only senior officials to stay throughout the hours-long event, according to a report.

Journalist Steve Kastenbaum noted most of the other officials on hand left as the names of the more than 2,000 victims were being read.

The handshake caused controversy with MAGA radio host Sid Rosenberg, who insisted Giuliani “broke my heart” by finding a moment of peace with Mamdani.

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