Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani and current Mayor Zohran Mamdani put aside a heated public dispute, at least momentarily, as the two exchanged a handshake during New York’s ceremony marking the 25th anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks.
The brief encounter unfolded Friday morning at the National September 11 Memorial Plaza at Ground Zero, where political leaders, former presidents, victims’ families, first responders and other dignitaries gathered to remember those killed in the 2001 attacks.
Giuliani and Mamdani Share Brief Exchange at Ground Zero
Giuliani, 82, and Mamdani, 34, were seen shaking hands and exchanging several words during the solemn commemoration.
Although their conversation was not clearly audible, professional lip reader Nicola Hickling claimed Giuliani appeared to offer Mamdani a personal message of goodwill.
According to Hickling’s interpretation, Giuliani told the mayor, “I’m praying for you, it’s been a long time.”
Mamdani appeared to respond briefly before the two released their handshake and continued greeting other people attending the ceremony.
The interaction attracted particular attention because it came only days after the two New York political figures engaged in a sharply worded public confrontation.
Bitter Dispute Preceded Memorial Handshake
Giuliani, who served as New York City mayor during the September 11 attacks, had publicly objected to Mamdani’s participation in the anniversary ceremony.
Speaking ahead of the commemoration, Giuliani said he was “offended” by Mamdani’s planned attendance and argued that his presence would be disturbing to some relatives of those killed in the attacks.
Giuliani went further during an interview with Newsmax, accusing Mamdani of standing “in direct support of the movement that killed their children.”
The remarks intensified an already politically sensitive debate surrounding Mamdani, New York City’s first Muslim mayor, and his participation in one of the city’s most significant annual memorial events.
Mamdani Responds With Release of Post-9/11 Records
The dispute subsequently widened when Mamdani’s administration released hundreds of thousands of previously unseen records relating to environmental conditions in New York following the destruction of the World Trade Center.
The documents appeared to indicate that Giuliani’s administration had information concerning potential toxic dangers in the city’s air after the September 11 attacks.
Their release brought renewed scrutiny to long-running questions surrounding the health risks faced by first responders, recovery workers and residents exposed to dust and debris following the collapse of the Twin Towers.
Giuliani Also Greets Vice President JD Vance
Giuliani’s encounter with Mamdani was not his only notable interaction at Friday’s ceremony.
The former mayor was also seen shaking hands with Vice President JD Vance. The pair exchanged several words, although their conversation could not be heard.
Among the prominent figures attending the Manhattan commemoration were former President George W. Bush and former first lady Laura Bush, former President Joe Biden and former first lady Jill Biden, former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and other senior political figures.
Representatives for Giuliani, Mamdani and Vance were approached for additional comment following the ceremony.
Political Leaders Gather 25 Years After September 11
The ceremony marked a quarter-century since al-Qaeda terrorists hijacked four commercial passenger aircraft on September 11, 2001.
Two planes were deliberately flown into the World Trade Center in Manhattan, while another struck the Pentagon outside Washington, D.C.
Passengers and crew members aboard United Airlines Flight 93 fought back against the hijackers before the aircraft crashed into a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania.
Nearly 3,000 people were killed in the attacks, which transformed American foreign and domestic policy and triggered years of military operations abroad.
Former Presidents George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, Barack Obama and Joe Biden were among political leaders participating in anniversary observances.
Other government officials attended commemorations at the Flight 93 National Memorial in Pennsylvania.
Trump Marks Anniversary at Pentagon
President Donald Trump did not attend the Ground Zero ceremony in New York, instead delivering remarks at the Pentagon.
Trump had reportedly considered speaking at the September 11 museum in Manhattan, with members of his team conducting advance preparations. Those plans were abandoned after arrangements did not include an opportunity for him to deliver a speech.
The anniversary was marked across the United States with ceremonies honoring the victims, their relatives, first responders and others affected by the attacks.
At Ground Zero, mourners placed flowers and American flags beside victims’ names around the memorial reflecting pools.
Mamdani Defends His Attendance Amid Criticism
Mamdani’s presence at the New York ceremony had become politically contentious even before Friday’s gathering.
Along with Giuliani, former Republican New York Governor George Pataki and some relatives of September 11 victims raised objections, including concerns over previous statements attributed to some of Mamdani’s political associates concerning the attacks.
Mamdani defended his decision to participate, emphasizing his attachment to New York and the United States while arguing that the anniversary should remain focused on the people most directly affected by the tragedy.
He described September 11 as a “horrific act of terror” and said attention should be directed toward victims’ families, first responders and New Yorkers who supported one another during the crisis and its aftermath.
Mamdani was an elementary school student living in New York when the attacks occurred.
Against that politically charged backdrop, the brief handshake between Mamdani and Giuliani offered one of the ceremony’s most closely watched moments, temporarily replacing their public confrontation with a restrained exchange at the site where New York gathered to remember the victims of September 11.
