Rudy Giuliani Jumps to Eric Trump's Defense in Spat With New York Mayor Bill de Blasio: 'It Is Painful to See the Quality of Life, in the City I Love, Deteriorate'

Rudy Giuliani leapt to the defense of Eric Trump in a spat between New York City's Mayor Bill de Blasio and The Trump Organization over emissions fines for its buildings.

"It is painful to see the quality of life, in the city I love, deteriorate," Giuliani, a lawyer to President Donald Trump and former Republican New York mayor, tweeted on Tuesday night.

"Mayor Bloomberg preserved it. The incumbent inherited a well run, and maintained, city. It took awhile for him to ruin it but now everyone sees it and comments on it. It's a shame."

Under the "New York City Green New Deal" to tackle climate change, owners of big buildings in the city who do not cut their emissions face fines for non-compliance.

In promoting the new rules, Mayor de Blasio highlighted the $2.1 million in fines faced by the Trump Organization if it does not act to ensure its buildings meet the emissions targets. The mayor joined a group of climate change protesters in the lobby of Trump Tower and gave a speech about the NYC Green New Deal.

"You're on notice, Donald: We won't let you mortgage our future for your real estate. Fix your buildings or pay the price," de Blasio, a Democrat who is considering running for his party's 2020 nomination, tweeted on Monday. "We WILL collect."

Eric Trump, the president's second son and executive vice president of The Trump Organization, criticized de Blasio for singling out his company and attacked the mayor's record in a series of tweets.

"The fact that the Mayor of a major city would attack an iconic organization (which employs thousands of hardworking New York taxpayers) for his own political gain is an abuse of power, unethical and simply counterintuitive," Trump wrote.

"Most Mayors do all they can to support great businesses - here in NYC, businesses are attacked for headlines and 'political points' and is this very mentality that is causing people to leave our great city in droves.

"@NYCMayor if you ever think there is an initiative that would be great for New York, I would be happy to come to city hall and visit you anytime. But forcing a pop-up press conference in our lobby is simply childish. Maybe one of these days we can work together, an invitation which remains open to you anytime. I wish you and our great city the best."

Donald Trump Jr., the president's eldest son and executive vice president of development and acquisitions at The Trump Organization, tweeted: "Owned!!! It seems @NYCMayor has been a bit too busy getting whopping crowds of 4 & 5 people in the primary states to see the damage he's inflicted on NYC. I look forward to his presidential run being even less successful than his time as mayor… if that's even possible."

Replying to Eric Trump, de Blasio wrote: "Spare me. You and your dad have spent decades evading taxes and stiffing your workers. NYC's Green New Deal is one law the Trumps won't get away with breaking. Fix your buildings or pay the price."

To which Eric Trump replied: "Spare me? First you have never created a job in your life. Second, our great city has gone to shit under your leadership. Crime is up, the men & women of the NYPD detest you, homelessness is rampant, our streets are dirty and people are leaving our city in record numbers."

De Blasio hit back again: "I guess lying on Twitter runs in the family! Facts are facts: NYC's jobs are at record highs, crime is at record lows, and our #GreenNewDeal is coming whether the 'iconic' Trump Org likes it or not. You can't hide from climate change, Eric. Fix your polluting buildings."