The New York City Police Department has denied claims made by City Hall that the department would provide a security detail for the wife of Mayor Zohran Mamdani during her upcoming trip to Syria and Lebanon. The department stated it does not send officers to countries with Level 4 travel advisories for discretionary reasons not linked to official investigative work.
Rama Duwaji, 29, is scheduled to visit Lebanon and Syria beginning September 20. These countries are currently listed on the State Department’s “Do Not Travel” advisory list. A source familiar with the trip indicated that it is not official business and does not involve any activities for the city.
Despite the NYPD's clarification, City Hall had previously stated that the Police Department “strongly” recommended Duwaji be accompanied by NYPD personnel. A mayoral spokesperson indicated that the First Lady’s security detail would join her during her visit to family in the region. However, the NYPD explicitly refuted this, stating, “This is not an investigative trip, and therefore, NYPD personnel will not be traveling there for it."
A source close to Duwaji’s security arrangements mentioned that she specifically requested NYPD protection for this trip, following a previous overseas journey last month where she traveled without police security. Mamdani has described his wife as a private individual.
Duwaji’s travel dates coincide with the 81st UN General Assembly, a period when NYPD resources are expected to be significantly strained. This overlap occurs shortly after the mayor urged New Yorkers to protest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during the international gathering.