On Monday, September 1, 2025, President Donald Trump made a headline-grabbing announcement: Rudy Giuliani, the former New York City mayor and longtime Trump ally, will be awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor in the United States. The announcement came just days after Giuliani, now 81, was seriously injured in a car crash on a New Hampshire highway, adding a dramatic twist to an already storied—and controversial—public life.
Trump’s message, posted to his Truth Social account, was effusive. "As President of the United States of America, I am pleased to announce that Rudy Giuliani, the greatest Mayor in the history of New York City, and an equally great American Patriot, will receive THE PRESIDENTIAL MEDAL OF FREEDOM, our Country’s highest civilian honor," Trump declared, according to Reuters and multiple other outlets. The details of the medal ceremony are yet to be announced.
The timing of the announcement was striking. Just two days earlier, Giuliani’s rented SUV was rear-ended at high speed on Interstate 93 northbound near Manchester, New Hampshire. According to state police and Giuliani’s head of security Michael Ragusa, the former mayor and his adviser Theodore Goodman had stopped to assist a woman fleeing domestic violence and called 911. As they re-entered traffic, a 19-year-old driver, Lauren Kemp of Concord, struck their vehicle from behind, sending both cars into the median and causing significant damage.
Giuliani suffered a fractured vertebra and multiple cuts and bruises to his left arm and lower leg, injuries described as serious but not life-threatening. Goodman and the other driver were also hospitalized. Ragusa, speaking to Fox News Digital, reported, "This is a man who survived 9/11—so a little car accident won't be slowing him down." Giuliani is expected to make a full recovery and is reportedly in good spirits, with plans to return to work soon.
The Presidential Medal of Freedom, established in 1963, is awarded to individuals who have made "especially meritorious contributions to the security or national interests of the United States, world peace, or cultural or other significant public or private endeavors." Trump has previously awarded the honor to 24 people, including golf legend Tiger Woods, conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh, and New York Yankees icon Mariano Rivera.
Giuliani’s selection for the medal is both a recognition of his past achievements and a flashpoint in America’s ongoing political debates. Supporters point to his leadership after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, when he became the public face of New York’s response and recovery, earning the nickname "America’s Mayor." He was named Time magazine’s Person of the Year in 2001 and received an honorary knighthood from Queen Elizabeth II for his leadership during the crisis.
Before his mayoralty, Giuliani rose to national prominence as a federal prosecutor in the 1980s, aggressively using the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) to combat organized crime and white-collar criminals. His law-and-order reputation helped him win the mayor’s office in 1994, where he served two terms until 2001. His administration was credited with reducing crime rates, though critics argued his policies disproportionately affected minority communities and sometimes infringed on civil liberties.
After leaving office, Giuliani established a lucrative consulting business and launched an unsuccessful bid for the Republican presidential nomination in 2008. His political fortunes shifted dramatically with the rise of Donald Trump. Giuliani became an early and vocal supporter of Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign, later serving as an unofficial adviser on cybersecurity and, eventually, as Trump’s personal lawyer during the Mueller investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election.
Giuliani’s role as Trump’s legal advocate only expanded with time. He was a central figure during Trump’s first impeachment in 2019, when his back-channel dealings with Ukrainian officials drew intense scrutiny. Accused of pressuring Ukraine to investigate then-candidate Joe Biden, Giuliani became a lightning rod for controversy. He later appeared at the January 6, 2021 rally preceding the assault on the U.S. Capitol, where he called for “trial by combat”—remarks condemned by the New York State Bar Association as encouraging violence. Giuliani would later claim his words were meant to be "hyperbolic."
Following Trump’s defeat in the 2020 presidential election, Giuliani became the public face of efforts to challenge the results, filing lawsuits in multiple states alleging widespread voter fraud. None of these claims were substantiated in court. In Georgia, Giuliani made repeated false claims to lawmakers about supposed irregularities, later admitting his accusations against two election workers were defamatory. In February 2025, he settled a defamation judgment with those workers, according to Straight Arrow News.
Giuliani’s post-mayoral years have been marked by growing legal and financial troubles. His law licenses were suspended in both New York and Washington, D.C., after courts found he had made false and misleading statements to lawmakers, judges, and the public. He faced expensive lawsuits, a costly third divorce, and accusations of unpaid debts. In 2023, he was indicted in Georgia under the very RICO law he once wielded as a prosecutor, charged for his alleged role in trying to overturn Biden’s election victory. Giuliani denounced the indictment as "an affront to American democracy" and "an out and out assault on the First Amendment." In 2024, he was processed in Arizona for similar efforts to overturn the election there.
Despite these setbacks, Giuliani has maintained a presence in conservative circles, hosting a daily radio show and running an online streaming program titled "America’s Mayor Live." To cover mounting legal fees, he has sold autographed 9/11 shirts, promoted products from Trump ally Mike Lindell, and even offered personalized video greetings for a fee.
The decision to honor Giuliani with the Presidential Medal of Freedom has sparked sharp debate. For his supporters, Giuliani remains a patriot whose leadership after 9/11 and loyalty to Trump make him a deserving recipient. Ted Goodman, Giuliani’s spokesman, wrote on X, "There is no American more deserving of this honor. 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."
Critics, however, argue that Giuliani’s recent actions have tarnished his legacy. Donna Lieberman of the New York Civil Liberties Union observed, "Just because he was the face of a devastated and pained city after 9/11 doesn’t mean that he wasn’t still the authoritarian, anti-democratic bully"—a sentiment echoed by professional bodies that have moved to disbar him. A DC Bar Association panel concluded in 2023 that Giuliani’s conduct "sadly transcend all his past accomplishments."
As the nation awaits details of the upcoming medal ceremony, the debate over Giuliani’s place in American history is far from settled. His journey from “America’s Mayor” to embattled political lightning rod is a reminder of how quickly fortunes can change—and how legacies are never as simple as they seem.
