Former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani has been hospitalized after developing pneumonia, according to his spokesperson, Ted Goodman.  While the 81-year-old is now breathing without assistance, he remains in critical yet stable condition under close medical supervision.

Giuliani had first been reported hospitalized over the weekend, though details were initially limited. In a social media message, Goodman described him as “a fighter” and asked supporters to keep him in their thoughts.

Goodman said Giuliani’s illness was made more serious by a long-standing respiratory condition tied to his exposure during the September 11, 2001, attacks. “On September 11th, Mayor Giuliani ran toward the towers to help those in need, which later led to a diagnosis of restrictive airway disease,” Goodman explained. “This condition adds complications to any respiratory illness, and the virus quickly overwhelmed his body, requiring mechanical ventilation to maintain adequate oxygen and stabilize his condition.” He added that Giuliani has since improved and is surrounded by family and his primary doctor.

President Donald Trump also confirmed the hospitalization, praising Giuliani and calling him “a True Warrior, and the Best Mayor in the History of New York City, BY FAR.” The former mayor had appeared on his program, America’s Mayor Live, just days earlier from Florida, mentioning that his voice was strained after coughing.

Giuliani led New York City from 1994 through 2001 and became a nationally recognized figure for his leadership during the 9/11 attacks. After leaving office, he remained active in politics, including a 2008 presidential bid and later serving as a personal attorney to Trump. He played a central role in efforts to challenge the 2020 presidential election results, which led to his disbarment in New York and Washington, D.C., and significant legal and financial consequences.

In recent years, Giuliani has also faced health setbacks. In 2023, he was injured in a car accident in New Hampshire, suffering a spinal fracture along with other injuries after the vehicle he was riding in was struck from behind.

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