Mamdani Says NYPD Will Not Guard Wife on Syria-Lebanon Trip

New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani said his wife, Rama Duwaji, will travel to Syria and Lebanon without an NYPD detail, blaming an earlier claim by his office on a miscommunication. Spokeswoman Dora Pekec had said police protection would accompany Duwaji on the family visit, scheduled to begin September 20. The NYPD said it does not send officers on personal trips to countries under Level 4 U.S. travel advisories when no investigative work is involved. The dispute drew criticism over city resources and security risks, amid scrutiny of Duwaji’s past anti-Israel posts and Mamdani’s record as a prominent critic of Israel.