Mamdani denies wife will get NYPD protection on Syria, Lebanon trip after aide said otherwise

Mayor Zohran Mamdani of New York City clarified on Tuesday that his wife, Rama Duwaji, will not be receiving NYPD protection during her upcoming trip to Syria and Lebanon. This clarification came after his office had previously stated that NYPD officers would "strongly" recommend accompanying Duwaji on her visit to her family. The NYPD itself later issued a statement contradicting the initial claim, explaining that the department does not send officers to countries with level four travel advisories for discretionary reasons that are not linked to investigative work.

Both Syria and Lebanon are currently on the U.S. State Department's Level 4 "Do Not Travel" list. The conflicting information sparked criticism over the potential taxpayer-funded protection for a private trip and raised concerns about sending New York police officers to countries with the highest level of U.S. travel warnings. Duwaji, an American of Syrian descent and a pro-Palestinian, recently requested NYPD protection following a previous overseas trip without police security.

Mamdani's clarification comes as her trip is set to begin on September 20 and overlap with the 81st United Nations General Assembly, a period when NYPD resources are often stretched due to the presence of numerous world leaders and dignitaries in New York.