Rudy Giuliani in Stable but Critical Condition After Car Accident

Rudy Giuliani, former New York City mayor and longtime supporter of President Donald Trump, is in stable but critical condition at a hospital, his spokesman said.

"Mayor Giuliani is a fighter who has faced every challenge in his life with unwavering strength, and he's fighting with that same level of strength as we speak," Ted Goodman wrote in a social media post.

Trump soon after called Giuliani "the Best Mayor in the History of New York City, BY FAR" on Truth Social. He praised Giuliani's work challenging the 2020 election, which Democrat Joe Biden won.

No additional details about Giuliani's illness have been released. The 81-year-old was injured in a car accident late last year.

Goodman ended his post by saying, "We do ask that you join us in prayer for America's Mayor Rudy Giuliani."

Giuliani picked up the nickname after guiding New York City through the aftermath of the September 11, 2001, attacks.

Queen Elizabeth awarded him an honorary knighthood, KBE, in 2002 for his leadership. He left office in 2004 and ran unsuccessfully for the Republican presidential nomination four years later.

Giuliani backed fellow New Yorker Trump's 2016 White House bid, speaking prominently at the Republican National Convention. He later served as Trump's personal lawyer.

After the 2020 election, Giuliani and other advisers traveled the country with false claims about the results. They accused Biden of trying to steal the election.

A jury later ordered Giuliani to pay $148 million (£108 million) to two election workers he had accused of ballot fraud, finding him liable for defamation.

In his post about Giuliani's health, Trump repeated false claims that Democrats stole the 2020 election. "They cheated on the Elections, fabricated hundreds of stories, did anything possible to destroy our Nation, and now, look at Rudy. So sad!" he said.

Last September, Giuliani rode as a passenger in a Ford Bronco struck from behind in New Hampshire.