Rudy Giuliani, the former mayor of New York City, is now breathing on his own after being hospitalized with pneumonia and placed on a ventilator, his spokesperson confirmed on Monday.
Giuliani, 81, remains in critical but stable condition at a Florida hospital near Palm Beach. He is being monitored as a precautionary measure, said Ted Goodman, his spokesperson. Goodman attributed the severity of Giuliani's condition to restrictive airway disease caused by exposure to dust and toxins from the September 11, 2001, terrorist attack on the World Trade Center.
Giuliani's hospitalization followed a coughing episode on his nightly online talk show on Friday, where he told viewers his voice was "a little under the weather." Goodman stated that the virus quickly overwhelmed Giuliani's body, requiring mechanical ventilation to maintain oxygen levels and stabilize his condition. He described Giuliani as "the ultimate fighter" and expressed confidence that he is winning the battle.
Giuliani's family and primary medical provider have been by his side. Goodman thanked well-wishers for their support and noted that the mayor believes in the power of prayer. Giuliani's eight-year tenure as mayor was defined by his leadership after the 9/11 attacks, earning him the nickname "America's mayor." He was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II and named Time magazine's Person of the Year.
Giuliani, a Republican, later ran unsuccessfully for president and served as an adviser to Donald Trump, leading efforts to challenge the 2020 election results. He faced legal consequences, including a $148 million defamation judgment against him from two former Georgia election workers. In September, he was hospitalized after a car crash in New Hampshire. Trump recently announced he would award Giuliani the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
