Mayor Zohran Mamdani attributed a public disagreement between his office and the New York Police Department regarding a security detail for his wife’s Middle East trip to a staff miscommunication. The NYPD had previously stated it would not provide an escort for First Lady Rama Duwaji on her upcoming travel to Syria and Lebanon.
Mamdani clarified that his wife has not yet departed and will not have an NYPD detail when she travels. The clarification followed reports that Duwaji, an artist, planned to visit family in Syria and Lebanon, countries currently listed on the U.S. State Department’s “Do Not Travel” advisory list due to security concerns.
Earlier, Mamdani’s spokeswoman, Dora Pekec, had confirmed that the First Lady's security detail would accompany her based on the NYPD's recommendation. However, the department issued a statement contradicting this, asserting that they do not send officers to countries with level four travel advisories for reasons not linked to investigations.
"This is not an investigative trip, and therefore, NYPD personnel will not be traveling there for it," a department spokesperson stated, undermining the City Hall's earlier assertion. The NYPD's response was seen as a direct contradiction of the mayor's office.
When questioned about the discrepancy, Pekec directed inquiries to Mamdani's remarks, which attributed the situation to a "miscommunication" on the part of his City Hall staff. Mamdani himself stated, "There was a miscommunication. She has not yet taken that trip and when she takes that trip it will be without any NYPD detail."