Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani has denied allegations that his administration concealed information about hazardous airborne toxins in lower Manhattan following the September 11, 2001, attacks. Speaking in a recent interview, Giuliani maintained that city officials acted in accordance with guidance from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) during the recovery and reopening of downtown New York.

The remarks come amid a city Department of Investigation (DOI) inquiry examining what city officials knew about air-quality hazards at Ground Zero and when they obtained this knowledge. The probe was launched following a City Council resolution passed in July 2025 requiring an examination of the information shared with the public in the years after the World Trade Center collapse.

Giuliani stated that his administration publicly disclosed all available information at the time, noting that the EPA had initially declared the air safe. “EPA initially said everything was safe,” he said, adding that he was informed of additional data about environmental risks roughly 10 months after leaving office.

The investigation has gained renewed attention as the administration of current Mayor Jane Mamdani agreed to release some 170,000 records connected to air-quality issues at the site. Mamdani has criticized past city governments, asserting that “people got sick because the leaders they trusted lied and told them they were safe to breathe in toxic air.”

Giuliani, who earned the nickname “America’s Mayor” for his leadership following the attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people, questioned whether the DOI review under Mamdani’s administration would be impartial. Despite his skepticism, he expressed willingness to cooperate with the investigation if it is conducted as a factual fact-finding mission. “DOI can question me, then,” he said. “I’ll give it a chance.”

The DOI has enlisted outside legal counsel to assist with the probe, signaling a comprehensive effort to understand what past administrations knew about the presence and risks of toxic dust resulting from the collapse of the Twin Towers.

As officials continue to respond to health concerns among first responders and residents who reported illness attributed to Ground Zero contamination, the investigation is expected to shed further light on the timing and scope of information shared with the public in the aftermath of 9/11.