New York Mayor’s Wife to Visit Syria and Lebanon with NYPD Security Amid Controversy

Rama Dawaji, wife of New York City Mayor Zohr Mamdani, is scheduled to travel on September 20 for a family visit to Syria and Lebanon, countries listed as dangerous by the U.S. State Department. Despite the travel advisory, Dawaji will be accompanied by New York Police Department officers providing security funded by American taxpayers. A city spokesperson, Dora Pekatz, told the New York Post that the NYPD agreed to provide protection at the police department’s request, following Dawaji’s solo trip last month without police security. An insider clarified that this is a private trip unrelated to official city business.

The planned visit has sparked sharp criticism from political figures. Dov Hikind, founder of Americans Against Antisemitism and a Brooklyn council member, condemned the deployment of police officers to war-designated zones, warning it endangers their lives and makes them targets. Hikind also noted that Dawaji likely does not require such security in the destination countries due to expected local protection.

Dawaji, a 29-year-old Syrian-American artist known for her pro-Palestinian and anti-Israel views, has previously stirred public controversy over her social media activity. This includes sharing playlists, liking posts celebrating the October 7 terror attack, and other contentious statements for which she apologized in April. Mayor Mamdani has defended her, emphasizing that she is a private individual who should not be subjected to public scrutiny.