Giuliani, 78, made the remarks just days before the 21st anniversary of the attacks while speaking on Newsmax on Friday morning.
‘The feelings are … complex feelings. I guess the best way to describe it is, it was the worst day of my life and in some ways, you know, the greatest day of my life, in terms of my city, my country, my family.
‘It was the worst foreign attack on this country since the war of 1812. It was a complete surprise. It was an attack on completely innocent people and I watched it first hand,’ he added.
The former Mayor of New York City Rudy Giuliani has come under fire for saying September 11, 2001, the day terrorists flew planes into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center was ‘in some ways … the greatest day of my life.’
Giuliani made the remarks just days before the 21st anniversary of the attacks while speaking on Newsmax
‘Full clip actually manages to be worse than the snippet,’ tweeted New York Times White House Correspondent Maggie Haberman
His words were immediately met with sharp reaction on social media.
‘Full clip actually manages to be worse than the snippet,’ tweeted New York Times White House Correspondent Maggie Haberman.
Other Twitter users did not hold back in their derision of Giuliani.
‘Giuliani should never be allowed to speak on 9/11 ever again!!!! Like forever!!!! Disgusting opportunistic traitor!’ tweeted one.
‘Rudy, you just shredded the one thing you could have been admired for,’ another wrote
New York Gov. George Pataki, left, New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, center, and Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton are pictured on September 12, 2001 – one day after the terror attacks
Giuliani earned the nickname ‘America’s Mayor’ following his leadership of New York City following the attacks. President Bush, center, Giuliani, left, and then-New York Governor George Pataki, second from left, Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., second from right, and New York City Fire Commissioner Thomas Van Essen, right, look toward the fallen buildings
Twitter users did not hold back in their derision of Giuliani for his comments
‘Rudy Giuliani, for nearly 3,000 Americans including the employees at the Pentagon, 9/11 was not the greatest day of their lives. Especially their surviving family members and friends,’ wrote Ken Gordon.
Giuliani has spoken of 9/11 as the ‘greatest day’ previously and last year, on the 20th anniversary, he said similar.
‘It was the worst day in the history of my city… and it was the greatest day, a day of tremendous heroism.’
In the days following the attacks, Giuliani was hailed as ‘America’s mayor’ for his leadership of New York City.
Sunday marks the 21st anniversary of the attacks, which resulted in the deaths of nearly 3,000 people, approximately 2,750 of whom were in New York.
At one point Giuliani had been seen as a dominant figure in US politics. He is pictured in June
At one point Giuliani had been seen as a dominant figure in US politics.
He initially polled well in his bid to become president in 2016 before his campaign sputtered and he ultimately dropped out following the Florida Republican primary.
Last year, Giuliani, who served as Donald Trump’s personal lawyer during part of his presidency, had his law license temporarily suspended in New York and Washington D.C. following his fraudulent claims that Trump won the 2020 election.
He peddled baseless conspiracy theories about the election and also served to rile up the crowds outside the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021.
Next month a hearing will take place to determine whether he will be allowed to practice law in the city again.