Rudy Giuliani has lived several lifetimes in the span of one. Most people know him as the "America’s Mayor" who stood amidst the dust of Ground Zero, or perhaps more recently, as the firebrand attorney with hair dye famously dripping down his face during a 2020 press conference. But as he remains a constant fixture in the news cycle—even as we roll through 2026—the question of his age keeps popping up.
So, let's get the math out of the way. How old is Giuliani? Rudy Giuliani was born on May 28, 1944. As of right now, in early 2026, he is 81 years old. He will be hitting the big 82 this coming May.
It's a bit wild when you think about it. He’s been in the public eye since the early 1980s. That is over four decades of high-stakes litigation, political brawls, and front-page headlines. Most people his age are deep into retirement, maybe playing a bit of golf or finally reading that stack of books on the nightstand. Rudy? He’s still in the thick of it, dealing with pardons, legal settlements, and even the occasional car accident.
The Long Arc: From Brooklyn to 2026
You can't really talk about his age without looking at the sheer distance he’s traveled. Born in Brooklyn to working-class Italian immigrants, he was already making waves in the Department of Justice by his late 20s. By the time he was 39, he was the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York.
That’s where the "tough on crime" persona really took root.
He was the guy taking down the Mob in the 1980s. He was the one putting Wall Street insiders in handcuffs. If you saw him on TV back then, he looked like the quintessential energetic prosecutor. Fast forward to 1994, and he’s the Mayor of New York City at age 49. It feels like a lifetime ago, doesn't it?
Why Everyone Is Asking About His Age Now
Lately, the fascination with his age isn't just about a number on a driver's license. It’s about stamina—and maybe a little bit of disbelief.
Over the last couple of years, Rudy has faced a mountain of legal and financial pressure that would break a man half his age. In 2023, he was hit with a $148 million defamation judgment regarding two Georgia election workers. He tried to file for bankruptcy, but a judge tossed that out in 2024, calling him a "recalcitrant debtor."
Honestly, the man is a survivor.
In late 2025, he received a full presidential pardon from Donald Trump, and he was even tapped for the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Just when people think he’s finally "done" or "too old" to keep going, he pops back up. Even a car crash in New Hampshire back in August 2025 didn't seem to slow him down for long. He was 81 at the time of the accident, and his team reported he was "recovering well" almost immediately.
Breaking Down the Eras
If you're trying to track the "how old is Giuliani" timeline through his career milestones, here is how the decades look:
- The 20s & 30s: The rising star. He clerked for federal judges and became the Chief of the Narcotics Unit at just 29.
- The 40s: The Crusader. This was the peak of his Mafia Commission trials and his first run for mayor.
- The 50s: The Mayoralty. He spent his 50s running NYC and became a global symbol of resilience after 9/11.
- The 60s: The Transition. He ran for President in 2008 (he was 63 then) and built a massive consulting empire.
- The 70s & 80s: The Trump Era. This is the chapter defined by his role as a personal attorney, the 2020 election challenges, and his eventual disbarment in New York and D.C.
It’s a lot for one guy.
The Health Question
When a public figure hits their 80s, people naturally start speculating about health. We know he survived a bout with prostate cancer back in 2000—that’s actually why he dropped out of the Senate race against Hillary Clinton.
Since then, he’s had his share of public "glitches," like the aforementioned hair dye incident or appearing at the wrong Four Seasons (the landscaping one, not the hotel). Some critics point to these as signs of age-related decline. His supporters, however, argue it's just Rudy being Rudy—combative, eccentric, and perpetually caffeinated on his own brand of "Rudy Coffee."
In early 2025, he settled a major dispute that allowed him to keep his Florida condo and his New York apartment. He’s also kept hold of his Yankees World Series rings, though that was a close call. He told reporters around that time that he isn't "impoverished" but doesn't have the same access to cash he once did.
How Giuliani Compares to His Peers
Context matters. In a political world where the leading presidential candidates in 2024 were both in their late 70s or early 80s, Giuliani being 81 isn't actually that outliers-ish.
He’s roughly the same age as Joe Biden and a few years older than Donald Trump. In 2026, being 81 is "the new 71" for the political elite. He’s still hosting his America’s Mayor Live show on various platforms and remains a polarizing, loud voice in the Republican party.
What’s interesting is how his public image has aged. To a certain generation, he’s still the hero of 9/11. To a younger generation, he’s a meme or a cautionary tale about legal ethics.
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What to Expect Next
If you’re following the Giuliani saga, the age factor will likely continue to play a role in his ongoing legal battles. He has a trial in Arizona scheduled for 2026 regarding election interference. While the federal pardon he received in late 2025 covers federal crimes, state-level cases like the one in Arizona are a different animal entirely.
At 81, he is facing the possibility of spending the rest of his "golden years" in and out of courtrooms.
Most people would have retreated to the Palm Beach condo by now. But Rudy seems to thrive on the friction. Whether you love him or can’t stand him, there is no denying that the man is a permanent fixture of American history.
To stay updated on the legal outcomes of his 2026 trials, keep an eye on court filings from the Arizona Superior Court. You can also monitor his public statements on his various social media channels, where he continues to be remarkably active for someone of his vintage. If you're interested in the financial side of his story, the public records from his dismissed bankruptcy case provide the most detailed look at how an 81-year-old former multimillionaire manages his assets in the face of massive judgments.
Keep a close eye on the Arizona proceedings this year; that's where the real impact of his current age and legal standing will be tested next.