NYPD Refutes Mayor's Claim of Security Detail for Wife's Syria Trip

The New York City Police Department (NYPD) has contradicted claims made by Mayor Eric Adams that his wife, Rama Duwaji, would receive a taxpayer-funded police security detail for her upcoming trip to Syria and Lebanon.

The NYPD spokesperson told the New York Post that the department "does not send officers to countries with Level 4 travel advisories for discretionary reasons not linked to investigative work." The spokesperson further clarified that since "this is not an investigative trip, and therefore NYPD personnel will not be traveling there for it."

Duwaji, 29, plans to visit family in Syria and Lebanon next month, despite the U.S. State Department issuing warnings against travel to both nations. The mayor's office had previously released a statement asserting that "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."

Following the NYPD's public rejection, Mayor Adams attributed the discrepancy to a staff miscommunication, stating, "There was a miscommunication. She has not yet taken that trip, and when she takes that trip it will be without any NYPD detail." A source familiar with the arrangement indicated to The Post that Duwaji had requested security for her travels, and the mayor's office subsequently issued a statement announcing the escort.

This situation arises after Duwaji faced scrutiny for allegedly liking an Instagram post that appeared to celebrate the October 7 attacks. When questioned about the posts, Mayor Adams defended his wife, stating, "My wife is the love of my life, and she is also a private person who has held no formal position on my campaign or in my City Hall."

Duwaji, who is Syrian-American, has recently been featured in The Cut magazine. Her upcoming trip follows a recent international excursion over the Fourth of July weekend, during which she reportedly attended a spiritual wellness retreat in Spain and co-hosted an event in Corsica. The spiritual retreat in Spain, titled "Plants of the Quran," cost attendees $3,400.