Mayor Zohran Mamdani has blamed a communication mix-up within his administration after the police department rejected reports that it would provide a security escort for his wife, Rama Duwaji, during her planned trip to Syria and Lebanon.
Duwaji, a Syrian American artist, is expected to travel to the Middle East beginning Sept. 20. The trip attracted attention after reports emerged that she could receive police protection, despite the serious security risks associated with both destinations.
The mayor’s office initially indicated that police officials had recommended security arrangements for the trip. The department later disputed that account, saying officers would not be sent because the journey was not connected to an investigation or official police assignment.
Mamdani subsequently described the situation as a “miscommunication” within his administration and placed the blame on his staff. The episode has raised questions about how security decisions involving the mayor’s family are communicated between City Hall and the police department.
The planned trip has also drawn attention because the U.S. State Department advises Americans against traveling to Syria because of terrorism, kidnapping, armed conflict and other serious risks. Lebanon is also under the highest-level travel warning because of terrorism, kidnapping, unrest and armed conflict.
The possibility of deploying police officers overseas has prompted a wider debate over public resources and officer safety. Critics have questioned whether local police should be assigned to protect a family member during private international travel, particularly in areas where security conditions can change rapidly.
The controversy comes against a broader history of heightened security concerns in New York following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. The police department has since expanded its counterterrorism and protective operations, but decisions involving overseas deployments remain subject to security considerations and operational rules.
For now, Duwaji is expected to make the trip without the reported police escort. What began as a question about her personal security has developed into a test of communication within Mamdani’s administration and a broader discussion about the responsibilities and limits of public police protection.
