Trump To Award Former NYC Mayor Rudy Giuliani Highest Civilian Honor

Authored by Aldgra Fredly via The Epoch Times,

President Donald Trump said on Monday that he would honor former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor.

Trump announced the award in a Truth Social post, calling Giuliani “the greatest mayor in the history of New York City” and “an equally great American Patriot.”

Details on the time and location of the award ceremony will be announced later, according to the statement.

The Presidential Medal of Freedom is typically awarded to individuals who have made meritorious contributions to U.S. security, national interests, world peace, or other significant public or private endeavors.

Giuliani, elected as New York City mayor in 1993, was once hailed as “America’s Mayor” for his response to the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, when terrorists crashed planes into the World Trade Center’s Twin Towers and killed nearly 3,000 people.

Giuliani also served as Trump’s attorney in efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election. He lost his law license last year after a state court found he made false claims about the election.

Trump’s announcement came as Giuliani was recovering from injuries he sustained in a car crash on Aug. 30.

His security chief, Michael Ragusa, said on X that Giuliani’s vehicle was struck from behind at high speed while driving on a highway in New Hampshire.

New Hampshire State Police said that before the car accident, Giuliani and his driver, Theodore Goodman, were traveling southbound on Interstate 93.

While on the road, they were flagged down by a woman who said she had been involved in a domestic violence incident. Giuliani called 911, and they remained on the scene until troopers arrived.

Giuliani and Goodman then traveled northbound on Interstate 93 before their vehicle was struck from behind, prompting troopers already at the initial scene to respond immediately. Police said that no charges have been filed so far, and the crash is still being investigated.

“Investigators believe the driver who struck Goodman and Giuliani had no connection to the initial domestic violence incident,” New Hampshire State Police said in a statement. “At this time, all aspects of the crash remain under investigation, including whether distraction or curiosity of the initial scene was a factor.”

Ragusa said that Giuliani was taken to a nearby trauma center, where he was diagnosed with “a fractured thoracic vertebrae, multiple lacerations and contusions, as well as injuries to his left arm and lower leg.”

Despite these injuries, Ragusa said the former mayor is in “good spirits and recovering tremendously.” He said that the accident was “not a targeted attack” against the politician.

“We ask everyone to respect Mayor Giuliani’s privacy and recovery, and refrain from spreading unfounded conspiracy theories,” he added.

The Epoch Times reached out to Ragusa for further comment but did not receive a response by publication time.