Trump's ex-lawyer denies selling 'loathsome' 9/11 T-shirts

T-shirts reportedly signed by Donald Trump's former lawyer to commemorate the anniversary of the World Trade Center attacks have caused outrage online.

The T-shirts, advertised as being signed by Rudy Giuliani, are selling for US$911 ($A1270) and are marketed as "collectable" shirts to mark the 20th anniversary of 9/11, which was last September.

In September 2001, Mr Giuliani was mayor of New York City and his leadership in the wake of the travesty was praised internationally.

The shirts are being sold by 77WABC, a New York radio station, where Mr Giuliani has a weekday slot.

"Rudy Giuliani will personally autograph the 9/11 t-shirt," the radio station store says in the listing.

"Portion of proceeds go to the WABC Radio Foundation, a 501c3 charity."

People caught wind of the T-shirts and expressed their dismay online, with many thinking it was exploitative and disrespectful to the 2,977 victims of 9/11.

In the wake of the criticism, Mr Giuliani insisted it's not true.

"I am not selling 911 shirts," he said on Twitter.

Mr Giuliani was declared Time Magazine's Person of the Year in 2001 and received an honorary knighthood by Queen Elizabeth II the following year.

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Mr Giuliani then went on to become a divisive figure during Donald Trump's presidency, including the aftermath where he touted misinformation about the 2020 election.

Just this January, the University of Rhode Island revoked Mr Giuliani's honorary degree, saying his words “encouraged domestic terrorist behavior” that led to the January 6, 2021, assault on the US Capitol.

Shirts slammed as 'loathsome'

Andrew Kirtzman, who has authored a book about Mr Giuliani said despite covering the former mayor for 25 years, the shirts "amazed" him.

On Twitter, some questioned how much the radio station and Mr Giuliani were making from the shirts, as the portion of proceeds going to charity was not specified.

CNN's senior political analyst, John Avlon, who used to work for Mr Giuliani, told the network the shirts "contradict" the values Mr Giuliani used to have.

"It is loathsome, it's a total disrespect for the dead," Mr Avlon said.

"This is a departure and a further descent by Rudy from principles that he once would have held in pretty crystal clear context."

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