Mayor Zohran Mamdani confirmed that his wife, Rama Duwaji, would not be taking a New York City Police Department security detail with her when she travels to Syria and Lebanon in September.
The possibility of New York City’s first lady getting a security detail for her travels on the taxpayers’ dime first caused a stir when a Mamdani spokesperson told the New York Post that “upon the strong recommendation of the NYPD, the First Lady’s security detail will be joining her when she travels to visit family in Syria and Lebanon.”
The NYPD quickly tamped down those reports, telling the outlet that it would not be sending the detail to the Middle East.
“The NYPD does not send officers to countries with level four travel advisories for discretionary reasons not linked to investigative work,” an NYPD spokesperson told the outlet.
The U.S. State Department currently tags both Syria and Lebanon with Level 4, “Do Not Travel” warnings, citing multiple risk concerns, including terrorism, unrest, crime, and kidnapping or hostage taking.
Mamdani confirmed in an interview with local outlet PIX11 that his wife would not be taking her security detail on her travels to visit family.
“There was a miscommunication; she has not yet taken that trip. And when she takes that trip, it will be without any NYPD detail,” Mamdani said.
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Mamdani is not expected to join Duwaji on her travels, as her September visit is a personal trip.
Duwaji has faced public criticism throughout the first year of her husband’s tenure, especially about her previously liking social media posts cheering on Hamas’s Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel, online activity that was first reported by Jewish Insider. Mamdani has argued that his wife, who apologized for the postings, is a “private person.”