Mayor Zohran Mamdani's office initially told media outlets that his wife would be accompanied by an NYPD security detail during her planned September trip to Syria and Lebanon, a claim the police department is now disputing. The NYPD confirmed to Fox News it does not send officers to countries with level 4 travel advisories for personal trips.
According to the New York Post, Mamdani's wife, Rama Duwaji, plans to travel to both countries in September to visit family. Both Syria and Lebanon are currently listed on the State Department's 'Do Not Travel' list, the highest advisory level, due to terrorism concerns.
What the Left Is Saying
Dora Pekec, a spokesperson for Mamdani, initially confirmed the security arrangement. '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,' Pekec told the New York Post at the time.
When PIX11 pressed the mayor's office on the apparent contradiction between sending officers abroad for personal travel and NYPD policy, Mamdani attributed the confusion to a staff 'miscommunication.' The mayor's office did not provide additional comment to Fox News Digital.
Supporters note that first lady security details are standard practice in major U.S. cities regardless of political affiliation. They argue that protecting family members of elected officials serves legitimate governmental interests and is separate from any individual's policy positions on law enforcement.
What the Right Is Saying
Scott Munro, president of the NYPD Detectives' Endowment Association, forcefully rejected the notion that detectives would accompany Duwaji on the trip. 'Our detectives put themselves in harm's way every day protecting New Yorkers,' Munro said. 'The DEA would never remain silent if our members were asked to travel to a dangerous, off-limits foreign country for anything other than a legitimate law-enforcement or intelligence operation.'
Munro added: 'Our detectives are needed here in New York City protecting residents and fighting crime.'
Critics point to Mamdani's own past statements as evidence of hypocrisy. In 2020, the mayor wrote on X that 'There is no negotiating with an institution this wicked & corrupt. Defund it. Dismantle it. End the cycle of violence' in reference to the NYPD. He also wrote: 'We don't need an investigation to know that the NYPD is racist, anti-queer & a major threat to public safety.'
At last week's pro-police event in Staten Island, Mamdani was booed offstage by attendees.
What the Numbers Show
The State Department currently maintains its highest travel advisory level—Level 4: Do Not Travel—for both Syria and Lebanon. According to department guidance, travelers in these countries 'face a high risk of kidnapping, hostage-taking, Exprorism, Exprorism, and violent civil unrest.'
During his mayoral campaign, Mamdani explicitly stated he did not want to defund the police, a position that contrasted with some of his earlier public statements. In 2023, at the Democratic Socialists of America national convention where he was a keynote speaker, Mamdani drew criticism for linking the NYPD to the Israeli Defense Forces.
The Bottom Line
The dispute centers on whether Mamdani's office accurately communicated—or misunderstood—NYPD policy regarding overseas security details for family members. Neither side disputes that Duwaji is planning the trip or that Syria and Lebanon carry the highest travel warnings from the federal government.
The incident highlights ongoing tensions between the mayor, who ran as a progressive candidate with past calls to defund police, and the department he now oversees. NYPD has confirmed it will not provide officers for personal travel to level 4 advisory countries. Mamdani's office has not issued additional public statements since attributing the initial reporting to miscommunication.