NYP: NYC First Lady Rama Duwaji to Travel to Syria, Lebanon With NYPD Security Detail

New York City First Lady Rama Duwaji is set to travel to Syria and Lebanon next month accompanied by members of the NYPD security detail assigned to Mayor Zohran Mamdani and his family, according to reporting and sources with knowledge of the plans.

The trip is scheduled to begin September 20 and has been characterized by the mayor's office as a family visit. Both destinations are subject to significant security warnings from the State Department, which advises against travel to Syria and recommends heightened caution in Lebanon.

A spokesperson for Mamdani confirmed that an NYPD detail will accompany Duwaji, noting that the department strongly recommended the protection. The mayor's office has not released details on the expected cost of the security operation. A source indicated the trip does not constitute official city business.

Duwaji, 29, is a Syrian-American artist with parents from Damascus who has previously lived and worked in Lebanon. She has been involved in pro-Palestinian political and cultural initiatives.

The deployment of NYPD officers overseas has drawn criticism from former Brooklyn Assemblyman Dov Hikind, who questioned whether officers should be sent to areas he characterized as dangerous.

Duwaji has faced examination of past social media activity and her criticism of Israel. She has apologized for some previous posts while continuing her involvement in pro-Palestinian activism.