The New York Police Department (NYPD) denied that it was sending any personnel as security for New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s wife, Rama Duwaji, when she will travel to Syria and Lebanon next month, The New York Post reported on Tuesday.
The New York Post reported on Monday evening that Duwaji would be protected by police officers assigned to her as taxpayer-funded NYPD security detail during her trip to the Middle East, citing a source in the New York City Hall.
Both countries are on the United States' "Level 4: Do not Travel" list for citizens. Lebanon's Level 4 status was issued on June 5, while Syria's was issued on July 8.
According to the source, Duwaji requested the NYPD security detail after traveling abroad in July with no police protection.
Mamdani’s office later confirmed the trip and the police security detail, The New York Post reported, but did not provide any additional detail.
“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,” said mayoral spokesperson Dora Pekec, per The New York Post.
However, the NYPD clarified to The New York Post that despite reports from City Hall, "This is not an investigative trip, and therefore, NYPD personnel will not be traveling there for it.”
The source familiar with the trip told The New York Post that the trip is not official business and that "it’s not doing anything for the city.”
Trip puts NYPD officers in danger
Pro-Israel Jewish advocate Dov Hikind, founder of Americans Against Antisemitism and a former Brooklyn Assemblyman, opposed sending NYPD officers to the Middle East on X/Twitter, following the report's publication.
“We’re putting the police officers in danger," Hikind wrote. "They will be viewed as the bad guys. These are war zones."
"Duwaji doesn’t need security. She will get a hero’s welcome and be protected by Hezbollah, Hamas and the Houthis.”
"Duwaji will be fine," he said.
Former Police Commissioner Bill Bratton told The New York Post it would be “ill-advised” for the NYPD to take on such an assignment in the first place, noting it “definitely” would put officers at risk sending them to a Level 4 “Do Not Travel” country.
He said the undertaking would be “expensive” and require significant assistance and cooperation from the federal government.
“There would be lots of hoops you’d have to go through for that kind of assignment," The New York Post added.