Trump to award Rudy Giuliani the Presidential Medal of Freedom days after ex-NYC mayor’s car crash
WASHINGTON, DC: Donald Trump announced on Monday, September 1, that he will award his longtime ally and former personal attorney, Rudy Giuliani, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor.
The announcement comes just after the 81-year-old former New York City mayor was released from a New Hampshire hospital, where he was treated for serious injuries sustained in a weekend car crash.
Trump hails Rudy Giuliani as 'greatest mayor in history of New York City'
Donald Trump revealed the decision on Truth Social, calling Rudy Giuliani “the greatest Mayor in the history of New York City, and an equally great American Patriot.”
“As President of the United States of America, I am pleased to announce that Rudy Giuliani… will receive THE PRESIDENTIAL MEDAL OF FREEDOM, our Country’s highest civilian honor,” Trump wrote. “Details as to time and place to follow. Thank you for your attention to this matter.”
The announcement comes as Giuliani recovers from a fractured thoracic vertebra, multiple lacerations, and other injuries sustained when a 19-year-old driver rear-ended his vehicle on Interstate 93 in New Hampshire on Saturday.
He was released from the hospital on Monday afternoon.
Rudy Giuliani’s car crash and quick recovery
Rudy Giuliani’s security chief Michael Ragusa described how the former mayor stopped to assist “the victim of a domestic violence incident” on the roadside before the collision occurred.
According to Ragusa, Giuliani “immediately rendered assistance” and called 911 before re-entering the highway, when another car “struck [them] from behind at high speed.” He clarified that the crash was not a targeted attack.
“A little car accident won’t be slowing him down,” Ragusa said. “He is eager to return to business and continue fighting for this country, as he has proudly done for the past 50 years.”
A controversial legacy after 2020 election
Rudy Giuliani, once hailed as “America’s Mayor” for his leadership after the September 11 terror attacks, later faced disbarment proceedings and criminal indictments in Arizona and Georgia for his role in efforts to overturn the 2020 election.
His legal troubles included a defamation lawsuit from two Georgia election workers, who won a nearly $148 million judgment after Giuliani falsely accused them of manipulating ballots. He later reached an abrupt settlement and, according to his lawyers, “fully” paid the amount.
During his first term, Trump awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom to 24 recipients, including Elvis Presley, Babe Ruth, Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, right-wing radio host Rush Limbaugh, and congressional allies Devin Nunes and Jim Jordan.
“There is no American more deserving of this honor,” Giuliani’s spokesperson Ted Goodman said. “Mayor Rudy Giuliani took down the Mafia, saved New York City, comforted the nation following 9/11, and served in countless other ways to improve the lives of others. Thank you, President Trump, for honoring his life and legacy.”
