Better late than never—that was my reaction when President Donald Trump announced he will award Rudy Giuliani the Presidential Medal of Freedom. And let’s be clear: nobody deserves it more. After all, it was Giuliani who took New York City from chaos to order, proving that even America’s biggest city could be governed with courage, discipline, and common sense.
The announcement came just after Giuliani, now 81, was hospitalized from a car accident in New Hampshire. Thankfully, his injuries are not life-threatening, and he’s already been released. Fittingly, Trump’s honor will focus on Giuliani’s greatest achievement: his time as New York’s fearless mayor—a tenure that transformed Gotham and inspired a generation of leaders, Trump included.
Giuliani inherited a city drowning in crime, corruption, welfare dependency, and despair. The “smart set” thought decline was inevitable. Rudy thought differently. With his no-sacred-cows approach, he cut budgets, restructured services, and, most famously, embraced “broken windows” policing with Commissioner Bill Bratton. The results? Murders dropped by more than 60% in just four years, welfare rolls plummeted, and New Yorkers finally felt safe again. Imagine that—spending less and getting more. A lesson Democrats still can’t seem to grasp.
His leadership during 9/11 cemented him as “America’s Mayor.” Directing recovery at Ground Zero one moment, comforting families the next—Giuliani embodied strength when the nation needed it most. It’s the kind of leadership New York is desperate for again, as today’s so-called progressives drag the city back into decline. Bill de Blasio’s eight-year disaster and now socialist candidates like Zohran Mamdani prove how far the city has strayed from Giuliani’s golden era.
What makes this moment even more powerful is the Trump connection. Trump watched Giuliani’s bold, take-no-prisoners approach up close and realized something critical: strong, unapologetic leadership could shatter the political establishment. And he was right. Twice elected, twice underestimated, Trump showed America what it looks like when someone refuses to play by the elites’ rules. Sound familiar?
The parallels between the two men are striking. Both perpetual motion machines, both overflowing with ideas, both New Yorkers who thrive in the fight. Giuliani brought New York back from the brink. Trump has done the same for America. And together, they remind us that real leadership, rooted in courage and conviction, can change everything.
Rudy proved New York was governable. Trump proved America was still great. And with this Medal of Freedom, one patriot honors another. That’s not just history—it’s inspiration for the future.
