
WHO’S PROTECTING MAMDANI’S WIFE? City Hall, NYPD Clash Over First Lady’s Syria Trip
The wife of NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani, Rama Duwaji, is set to travel next month to Syria and Lebanon, two countries on the United States government’s “Do Not Travel” list because of dangerous conditions for Americans there.
It is unclear whether Duwaji, whom the mayor has declared to be a private person, will be escorted by an NYPD security detail. She has previously traveled overseas to safer destinations without taxpayer-funded security.
The mayor’s office appeared to confirm that NYPD officers would be traveling with New York’s first lady.
“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,” said mayoral spokesperson Dora Pekec. Duwaji is a Syrian American whose parents are from Damascus.

But the NYPD contradicted that statement Tuesday.
“The NYPD does not send officers to countries with level four travel advisories for discretionary reasons not linked to investigative work,” an NYPD spokesperson said.
“This is not an investigative trip, and therefore, NYPD personnel will not be traveling there for it,” the spokesperson added.
Dov Hikind, founder of Americans Against Antisemitism and a former Brooklyn assemblyman, insisted that Duwaji doesn’t need protection from Hamas and Hezbollah, whom she supports, and therefore NYPD officers should not have to face danger on her behalf.
“We’re putting the police officers in danger. They will be viewed as the bad guys. These are war zones,” he said.
“Duwaji doesn’t need security. She will get a hero’s welcome and be protected by Hezbollah, Hamas and the Houthis. Duwaji will be fine,” he added.