What Did Rudy Giuliani Say to Zohran Mamdani at 9/11 Ceremony? Lip Reader Reveals Awkward Exchange
Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani and current Mayor Zohran Mamdani shared an awkward but ultimately cordial exchange at the 9/11 memorial ceremony in New York City on Friday. A professional lip reader has claimed to have deciphered what Giuliani said during their brief interaction, according to the New York Post.
According to lip reader Jeremy Freeman, Giuliani appeared to tell Mamdani: “I prayed for you. Good job. OK.” The exchange took place as the two men shook hands at the Ground Zero ceremony marking the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks.
The interpretation has not been independently confirmed by either Giuliani or Mamdani. It is based on Freeman’s reading of video footage of the encounter.
The brief meeting drew attention because Giuliani, who was New York City’s mayor during the 2001 attacks, had publicly criticized Mamdani’s decision to attend the anniversary ceremony and had previously called on the current mayor to stay away.
Rudy Giuliani and Zohran Mamdani’s Uncomfortable Exchange
The duo’s interaction lasted only a few seconds, but body-language analyst Traci Brown told the New York Post that Giuliani appeared uncomfortable during the exchange, while Mamdani appeared to show mixed emotions.
“Giuliani’s eyebrows [are] up in recognition and acknowledgment. But his frown grows the longer they shake hands. So he’s not happy about the connection,” Brown said after viewing footage of the interaction that circulated on social media.
The two men nevertheless shook hands publicly at one of the most closely watched political gatherings in New York this year.
Why Did Rudy Giuliani Oppose Zohran Mamdani Attending the 9/11 Ceremony?
Giuliani, who served as New York mayor from 1994 to 2001 and was in office when the terrorist attacks occurred, had argued that Mamdani should not attend the Ground Zero commemoration.
The former mayor’s criticism centered on Mamdani’s views and statements concerning terrorism and Israel. Giuliani had also made claims about Mamdani’s position on the September 11 attacks that the current mayor has rejected.
“Having lost friends there, and being very close to many of the families, it offends me that he’s coming,” Giuliani told Newsmax earlier this week
“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 in the Sunday interview.
“They have every desire to take us over. This is not, they want to be just another religion, they want to dominate us,” Giuliani said of Muslims. “Mamdani is a clear supporter of that.”
Despite those objections, Mamdani attended the ceremony in his capacity as New York City’s mayor.
Zohran Mamdani on 9/11 Memorial
Mamdani attended the ceremony despite the criticism surrounding his presence.
Ahead of the anniversary, the mayor had emphasized remembrance, service and the continuing health consequences of the attacks. His administration also released a large collection of records related to the city’s response to the aftermath of 9/11.
Mamdani’s administration said the city was making more than 170,000 pages of records publicly available concerning the health effects and government response following the attacks.
The mayor had also designated Sept. 11 as an official Day of Remembrance and Service in New York City, directing city agencies to hold commemorative and educational activities.
9/11 Ceremony
The Ground Zero ceremony brought together an unusually broad group of political figures.
Vice President JD Vance attended alongside former Presidents Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama and Joe Biden. President Donald Trump attended a separate commemoration at the Pentagon.
The ceremony included the traditional reading of the victims’ names and moments of silence marking key moments during the attacks.
A seventh moment of silence was added this year to recognize people who died from illnesses associated with toxic exposure following the attacks.
