Mamdani and Giuliani briefly greet each other at 9/11 memorial ceremony
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and former Mayor Rudy Giuliani exchanged a brief handshake during the 25th-anniversary ceremony at the World Trade Center site.
During the 25th-anniversary remembrance at the World Trade Center, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and former Mayor Rudy Giuliani shared a brief handshake before resuming their separate roles in the ceremony. Mamdani, who was nine years old at the time of the attacks, has directed this year’s events toward families, victims and first responders, and his office issued thousands of previously unreleased records indicating that city officials were aware of lingering toxic hazards after the disaster.
Giuliani, now 82 and involved in multiple court cases, had publicly called on Mamdani to avoid the memorial, claiming his presence was offensive. The ceremony included multiple moments of silence and, for the first time, a seventh silence to honor those who have died from 9/11-related illnesses. Over 9,000 people have been recorded as dying from such illnesses, surpassing the death toll from the attacks themselves.
Why it matters
The encounter underscores ongoing political tensions while the memorial highlights long-term health impacts of 9/11.
How this story developed
- Sep 7 Trump reiterates disputed 9/11 rescue claim as anniversary approaches
- Sep 8 Trump added the Medal of Freedom award for Welles Crowther and the cutter‑naming announcement to the memorial event.
- Sep 10 Construction of the 2 WTC tower, designed by Foster+Partners, began near the memorial, while Mayor Zohran Mamdani presided over the commemorative ceremony.
- Sep 10 The city is preparing its traditional memorial service at the former World Trade Center site, which normally includes six silent pauses for key moments of the attacks. This year a seventh pause will be added to honor the thousands who succumbed to illnesses linked to the disaster long after the event. Officials note that many first-responders and survivors continue to suffer health problems, and a long-term health program was created in 2011 to provide ongoing care. Retired police lieutenant Thomas Wilson, who worked at Ground Zero, is among those whose cancers have been attributed to the attacks.
- Sep 11 Groundbreaking for 2 World Trade Center took place during the annual memorial ceremony.
- Sep 11 The ceremony will feature a seventh silent moment for the first time.
- Sep 11 Analyst David Rothkopf labeled Trump’s 9/11 rescue claim a desperate hero myth.
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