Exclusive | Rudy Giuliani reveals what he told Mamdani during awkward handshake and even offered surprising praise

Rudy Giuliani revealed to The Post on Friday that he shook Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s hand at the 9/11 ceremony because it was the right thing to do given the occasion — and even praised him for staying throughout.“We ended up facing each other.I said, ‘I pray for you all the time,’ ’’ said Giuliani, 82 — who was famously dubbed “America’s mayor’’ for his steady stewardship at the helm of New York City after the Sept.

11, 2001, terror attacks in Manhattan.“He said, ‘Thank you,’” the GOP former mayor said of the far-left current mayor — who he recently publicly urged to not attend the ceremony this year out of respect for victims’ families, claiming Hizzoner “doesn’t agree that September 11 was an Islamic terrorist attack on the United States of America.’’“We realized that if either one of us turned our backs [on the other], that would have been the story,’’ Giuliani said of himself and Mamdani, 34, at the somber ceremony.“I give him credit for that.The whole event would have been different.“It’s about respect for the families, the solemness of the occasion,’’ the ex-Hizzoner said.Giuliani even praised Mamdani while acknowledging, “Our differences are strong and haven’t changed.“He stayed until the very end.

I give him credit for that,’’ Giuliani said.Still, “I’m concerned about him hanging around with guys saying 9/11 was our fault,’’ the former mayor said.Mamdani appeared on radical podcast host Hasan Piker’s show while campaigning for mayor.Piker once said, “America deserved 9/11.’’...