Rudy Giuliani facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Rudy Giuliani
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Giuliani in 2019
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| 107th Mayor of New York City | |
| In office January 1, 1994 – December 31, 2001 |
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| Preceded by | David Dinkins |
| Succeeded by | Michael Bloomberg |
| United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York | |
| In office June 3, 1983 – January 1, 1989 |
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| President | Ronald Reagan |
| Preceded by | John S. Martin Jr. |
| Succeeded by | Otto G. Obermaier |
| United States Associate Attorney General | |
| In office February 20, 1981 – June 3, 1983 |
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| President | Ronald Reagan |
| Preceded by | John H. Shenefield |
| Succeeded by | D. Lowell Jensen |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Rudolph William Louis Giuliani
May 28, 1944 New York City, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican (1980–present) |
| Other political affiliations |
Liberal (statewide) Independent (1975–1980) Democratic (before 1975) |
| Spouses |
Regina Peruggi
(m. 1968; div. 1982)Donna Hanover
(m. 1984; div. 2002) |
| Children |
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| Education | Manhattan College (BA) New York University (JD) |
| Signature |  |
Rudolph William Louis Giuliani (born May 28, 1944) is an American politician and lawyer. He served as the 107th mayor of New York City from 1994 to 2001. Before becoming mayor, he was a powerful lawyer for the U.S. government.
As a U.S. Attorney in the 1980s, Giuliani became famous for prosecuting leaders of organized crime groups in New York City. He ran for mayor in 1989 but lost. He ran again in 1993 and won. As mayor, he focused on reducing crime.
Giuliani was mayor during the September 11 attacks in 2001. His leadership during this crisis earned him the nickname "America's mayor." Time magazine named him Person of the Year for 2001.
After his time as mayor, Giuliani started a security consulting company. He ran for the Republican presidential nomination in 2008 but was not successful. Later, he became a personal lawyer for President Donald Trump. His work for Trump, especially after the 2020 presidential election, led to many legal challenges. In 2024, his license to practice law was taken away in New York and Washington, D.C.
Contents
Early Life and Schooling
Rudy Giuliani was born on May 28, 1944, in Brooklyn, New York City. He was the only child of Helen and Harold Giuliani. Both of his parents were children of Italian immigrants. When Rudy was seven, his family moved to Long Island. He went to a Catholic school called St. Anne's.
For high school, he traveled back to Brooklyn to attend Bishop Loughlin Memorial High School. He graduated in 1961.
Giuliani went to Manhattan College, where he studied political science. He was elected president of his class during his second year. He graduated in 1965. After college, he decided to go to New York University School of Law. He did very well and graduated with a law degree in 1968.
Early Career as a Lawyer
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Giuliani began his career as a Democrat. After law school, he worked as a clerk for a federal judge. In 1975, he changed his party registration to Independent. He moved to Washington, D.C., to work for the government under President Gerald Ford.
From 1977 to 1981, he worked at a private law firm. In 1980, he switched his party again, this time to Republican. He said he felt Republican ideas made more sense to him.
In 1981, President Ronald Reagan named Giuliani the Associate Attorney General. This was the third-highest job in the Department of Justice. He oversaw many federal law enforcement agencies, like the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
U.S. Attorney
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In 1983, Giuliani became the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York. This was a very important job for a lawyer. He became famous for taking on high-profile cases. He prosecuted powerful people on Wall Street and leaders of organized crime.
His most famous case was the Mafia Commission Trial. This trial, which lasted from 1985 to 1986, targeted the heads of New York's five big crime families. Giuliani used a law called the RICO Act to charge them with many crimes. He said, "Our approach is to wipe out the five families."
The trial was a major success. Three of the crime bosses were sentenced to 100 years in prison. This case made Giuliani a national figure and weakened organized crime in New York.
Mayor of New York City
Giuliani first ran for mayor in 1989 but lost a very close election to David Dinkins. He ran again in 1993 and won. He became the first Republican mayor of New York City since 1965.
Fighting Crime
As mayor, Giuliani's main goal was to lower crime. He and his police commissioner, William Bratton, used a strategy called "broken windows." The idea was that stopping small crimes, like graffiti, would prevent bigger crimes from happening.
They also created CompStat, a computer system that tracked crime patterns. This helped police focus on areas where crime was highest. During Giuliani's time as mayor, crime rates in New York City dropped significantly.
Some people disagree on how much credit Giuliani deserves for the drop in crime. Crime had already started to go down before he became mayor. Also, the number of police officers had increased, and the national economy was improving.
September 11, 2001
On September 11, 2001, terrorists attacked the World Trade Center. This happened during Giuliani's last year as mayor. He became a symbol of leadership for the city and the country.
He was seen all over the city, coordinating rescue efforts and speaking to the public. He appeared on TV and radio to keep people calm and informed. He famously said, "Tomorrow New York is going to be here. And we're going to rebuild, and we're going to be stronger than we were before."
His response to the attacks was praised around the world. Oprah Winfrey called him "America's Mayor." He was named Time magazine's Person of the Year for 2001. For his leadership, Queen Elizabeth II made him an honorary knight.
However, some of his decisions faced criticism later. His emergency command center was located in the World Trade Center complex and had to be evacuated. There were also problems with the radios used by firefighters, which made communication difficult during the crisis.
Life After Being Mayor
After leaving office in 2002, Giuliani started a security consulting company called Giuliani Partners. He also joined a law firm. He remained active in politics, supporting Republican candidates.
In 2008, he ran for president of the United States. For a while, he was a front-runner for the Republican nomination. However, his campaign did not do well in the early primary elections, and he eventually dropped out. He then endorsed John McCain.
Giuliani chose not to run for governor of New York in 2010 or for president in 2012. He focused on his business and law work instead.
Working with Donald Trump
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Giuliani was a strong supporter of Donald Trump during his 2016 presidential campaign. He often spoke at Trump's rallies. After Trump won, Giuliani became an informal advisor on cybersecurity.
In 2018, Giuliani joined Trump's personal legal team. He helped defend the president during the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election.
Ukraine and Impeachment
Starting in 2019, Giuliani urged officials in Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden and his son, Hunter. At the time, Joe Biden was a potential opponent for Trump in the 2020 election. Giuliani's actions in Ukraine became a central part of the impeachment inquiry against President Trump in late 2019.
2020 Election Challenges
After the 2020 presidential election, President Trump put Giuliani in charge of lawsuits challenging the results. Giuliani and his legal team filed many lawsuits in different states. They made claims about voting machines and election fraud that were not supported by evidence.
Nearly all of these lawsuits were dismissed by courts. His actions during this period led to serious consequences for his legal career. In 2021, his law license was suspended in New York. In 2024, he was disbarred, meaning he could no longer work as a lawyer in New York.
Personal Life
Giuliani has been married three times. His first marriage was to Regina Peruggi in 1968. They divorced in 1982.
In 1984, he married Donna Hanover, a television personality. They have two children, Andrew and Caroline. Their marriage ended in 2002.
He married Judith Nathan in 2003. They divorced in 2019.
In 2000, Giuliani was diagnosed with prostate cancer. He received treatment and made a full recovery. He has since spoken out to support other cancer survivors.
Images for kids
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Giuliani greeting President George H. W. Bush and Barbara Bush in 1989
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Giuliani campaigned for the U.S. Senate in 2000 before withdrawing.
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Giuliani at a joint session of Congress on September 20, 2001.
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Giuliani at a press briefing after 9/11.
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Giuliani and Secretary of State Colin Powell in 2003.
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Giuliani at a press briefing on "New York City After September 11, 2001".
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Giuliani at a DEA mobile museum opening in Dallas, Texas, in 2003.
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Presidential campaign logo for 2008.
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Giuliani at a rally at San Diego State University in 2007.
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Giuliani at a campaign event in New Hampshire in 2008.
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Giuliani gives a speech in honor of sailors and Marines in 2009.
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Giuliani with other American politicians at an event in 2018.
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President Trump recognizes Giuliani at a bill signing in 2019.
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Serbian president Tomislav Nikolić and Giuliani at a press conference in 2012.
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Congressman Vito Fossella, former First Lady Nancy Reagan, and Giuliani in 2002.
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A New York Air National Guard major with Rudy and Judith Giuliani in 2009.
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See also
In Spanish: Rudy Giuliani para niños
