Mamdani backpedals on NYPD escort for wife’s Syria trip

“This is not an investigative trip, and therefore, NYPD personnel will not be traveling there for it,” said a spokesperson.

By World Israel News Staff

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani backpedaled on a statement from his spokesperson that his wife, Rama Duwaji, would be accompanied by New York City police officers during a personal trip to Syria and Lebanon, after reports sparked outrage over the potential for officers to be sent to countries facing severe security threats for a journey unrelated to city business.

Duwaji, Mamdani’s wife, is scheduled to travel to Syria and Lebanon in September to visit family and friends in the region. Both countries are under a Level 4 “Do Not Travel” advisory from the U.S. State Department because of ongoing instability, the risk of terrorism and the potential for renewed or expanded armed conflict.

Mamdani’s office initially said earlier this week that Duwaji would be accompanied by NYPD officers who would provide security during the trip. The reported plan immediately raised questions about whether city police officers could be required to travel internationally and potentially place themselves in danger to facilitate a private vacation.

The issue was particularly notable because Duwaji recently traveled to Spain to attend an Islamic women’s conference without an NYPD security detail.

A report by the New York Post highlighted the potential risks to police officers and questioned why NYPD personnel would be expected to enter countries carrying the State Department’s highest travel warning for a personal trip.

The Post report prompted a clarification from Mamdani, who told a local New York news outlet that “there was a miscommunication” regarding the security terms for Duwaji’s trip.

He added that “when she takes that trip, it will be without any NYPD detail.”

Earlier in the week, after a Mamdani spokesperson said Duwaji would travel to Syria accompanied by NYPD officers, the police department issued a swift rebuttal.

“The NYPD does not send officers to countries with level four travel advisories for discretionary reasons not linked to investigative work,” a department spokesperson said.

“This is not an investigative trip, and therefore, NYPD personnel will not be traveling there for it.”

The conflicting statements immediately raised questions about how the original security arrangement had been proposed and whether city officials had consulted the NYPD before announcing it.

LebanonNew York CityRama DuwajiSyriaZohran Mamdani