Rama Duwaji, the wife of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, posted on social media as a teenager and young adult glorifying known terrorists, according to a review of her online history by the Washington Free Beacon.
The posts include a 2017 photograph of Leila Khaled, a longtime leader of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine who participated in two airplane hijackings in 1969 and 1970. Duwaji captioned the photo, 'If it does good for my cause, I'll be happy to accept death.' Duwaji was 19 at the time of the post. She is now 28.
In March 2015, when Duwaji was 17, she reposted a tweet on International Women's Day praising Shadia Abu Ghazaleh, who participated in the bombing of an Israeli bus and led several other terrorist attacks. The image showed Ghazaleh posing with a rifle. She was killed in 1968 when a bomb she was building accidentally exploded.
Duwaji, who was born in Houston and identifies as Syrian, married Mamdani in 2025. She drew national attention after revelations she liked several posts in the immediate aftermath of the October 7, 2023 attack on Israel that were critical of Israel.
What the Right Is Saying
Conservatives have sharply criticized Duwaji's posts, arguing they reveal poor judgment and raise questions about Mamdani's own values and the company he keeps.
Republican officials and commentators have called for greater scrutiny of Duwaji's online activity, arguing that glorifying terrorists is disqualifying for anyone associated with the mayor's office. They have questioned how Mamdani could be unaware of his wife's views when they married in 2025.
Critics have also pointed to Duwaji's activity liking posts after the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack that killed 1,200 Israelis, including children. They argue this demonstrates a pattern of supporting organizations and individuals involved in terrorism.
Republican lawmakers have called on Mamdani to distance himself from his wife's views. Some have argued that the posts raise concerns about antisemitism and questions about the mayor's commitment to Israel's right to exist.
What the Left Is Saying
Progressive defenders of Duwaji and her husband have argued that the posts represent views she held as a teenager and young adult, and that she has evolved politically since then. Supporters note that the posts date back to 2015-2017, when Duwaji was between 17 and 19 years old.
Some progressive commentators have characterized the criticism of Duwaji as a distraction from substantive policy debates. They argue that examining years-old social media posts amounts to political opposition research designed to undermine Mamdani's mayoral agenda.
Additionally, some free speech advocates have noted that individuals have a right to express political views, including controversial ones, and that criminalizing speech or holding people accountable for teenage social media posts sets a troubling precedent.
What the Numbers Show
Leila Khaled, whom Duwaji posted about in 2017, is recognized as the first woman to hijack an airplane. She participated in the 1969 hijacking of El Al Flight 432 and the 1970 hijacking of TWA Flight 847.
Shadia Abu Ghazaleh, whom Duwaji posted about in 2015, was involved in a bombing of an Israeli bus. She was killed in 1968 when a bomb she was constructing exploded prematurely. The device was allegedly intended for an attack in Tel Aviv.
Duwaji's controversial posts span from March 2015, when she was 17 years old, to September 2017, when she was 19. She is now 28 years old.
The October 7, 2023 Hamas attack on Israel resulted in approximately 1,200 deaths, including civilian men, women, and children.
The Bottom Line
The revelation of Duwaji's years-old social media posts has intensified scrutiny of Mayor Mamdani, who has already faced criticism over his policies regarding Israel. The mayor's office has not commented on the reports.
The controversy highlights ongoing debates about the relevance of teenage social media posts to current political figures and their family members. Mamdani's opponents are likely to continue raising questions about his judgment, while supporters may argue that focusing on decade-old posts distracts from substantive policy issues.
What to watch: Whether Mamdani addresses his wife's online history publicly, how this affects ongoing policy debates at City Hall, and whether Republican opposition to the mayor intensifies ahead of future elections.