Former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani has been hospitalized following a car crash in New Hampshire, according to his spokesperson.
The 81-year-old politician and lawyer sustained a fractured thoracic vertebrae, multiple lacerations, contusions, and injuries to his left arm and lower leg when his rental vehicle was struck from behind on a highway near Manchester on Saturday evening.
Michael Ragusa, Giuliani’s head of security, said in a statement that while the injuries were serious, the former mayor was “in good spirits and recovering tremendously.”
Ragusa emphasized that the incident was accidental, not intentional. “This was not a targeted attack,” he said, adding that no one knew Giuliani was behind the wheel at the time of the collision, Sky News reports.
Ragusa also explained that moments before the crash, Giuliani had stopped to assist a woman who flagged him down as a victim of domestic violence. He contacted police on her behalf, but the crash was “random and unrelated” to that incident.
How is Rudy Giuliani now?
Giuliani is expected to remain in hospital for several days but is anticipated to make a recovery.
His son, Andrew Giuliani, expressed gratitude for the outpouring of concern. “Your prayers mean the world,” he wrote on X, adding: “As a son, I can tell you that I’m honored to have a Dad that I can call the toughest SOB I’ve ever seen.”
The crash comes after a turbulent period in Giuliani’s public life. Once hailed as “America’s mayor” for his leadership in New York following the September 11 attacks, Giuliani’s reputation has shifted dramatically over the past decade.
After an unsuccessful bid for the Republican presidential nomination in 2008, he largely stepped back from the national spotlight until re-emerging in 2018 as personal attorney to then-President Donald Trump, per Al Jazeera.
Giuliani became a key figure in efforts to overturn the 2020 election results, repeating Trump’s false claims of widespread voter fraud.
Despite dozens of court challenges, recounts, and audits, no evidence of significant fraud was found. Giuliani’s involvement drew sharp criticism, legal scrutiny, and ultimately severe financial consequences.
In December 2023, he was ordered to pay $148 million in damages after two Georgia election workers successfully sued him for defamation, according to BBC News.
The former prosecutor and mayor now faces mounting legal bills and ongoing investigations, yet remains a highly visible and polarizing figure in American politics.
For many New Yorkers, Giuliani is remembered for his steady presence after 9/11, while for others, his later years have been defined by his alignment with Trump and his combative approach to politics.