what did rudy giuliani do

Rudy Giuliani is a former New York City mayor and ex-personal lawyer to Donald Trump who went from being praised as “America’s Mayor” after 9/11 to facing disbarment, massive civil penalties, and criminal charges tied to efforts to overturn the 2020 election.

Early career and 9/11 role

• Giuliani first rose to prominence as a federal prosecutor targeting organized crime and white-collar crime in New York.

• As mayor of New York City (1994–2001), he became known for a tough-on-crime approach and aggressive policing strategies, which supporters credit with reducing crime and critics say fueled overpolicing and civil rights concerns.

• After the September 11, 2001 attacks, his highly visible leadership and public presence earned him widespread acclaim and the nickname “America’s Mayor.”

Work for Trump and election claims

• After serving as Trump’s personal lawyer, Giuliani became a key public face of efforts to challenge and overturn Trump’s 2020 election loss, promoting unfounded claims of widespread voter fraud in multiple states.

• He took part in pressure campaigns and legislative-style hearings in states like Arizona and others, where he repeated false allegations about the integrity of the vote.

• Those activities have led to ongoing criminal and civil exposure, including charges in Arizona related to alleged efforts to subvert that state’s 2020 election results.

Defamation of Georgia election workers

• Giuliani falsely accused two Georgia election workers, Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss, of tampering with ballots and manipulating the 2020 vote in Atlanta.

• A federal jury found him liable for defamation and awarded Freeman and Moss roughly 148 million dollars in damages, a judgment later resolved through a settlement that allowed him to keep some property while still satisfying what he owed.

• As part of resolving the case, he faced contempt findings for failing to turn over assets and agreed not to further defame the workers, even while avoiding a formal admission of legal guilt in the settlement language.

Professional downfall and legal status

• Giuliani has been disbarred in New York and Washington, D.C., losing his law license over his role in pushing false election claims on Trump’s behalf.

• Mounting legal costs and judgments forced him to surrender or risk losing high-value assets, including real estate and memorabilia, underscoring the scale of his financial and reputational collapse.

• Despite this, Trump announced in 2025 that he would award Giuliani a top civilian honor, framing him as a loyal ally and “patriot” even as Giuliani’s broader public image has shifted from admired leader to embattled, polarizing figure.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.