Mamdani’s Wife Under Fire for Posts Celebrating Terrorism
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is facing mounting backlash after resurfaced social media posts linked to his wife, Rama Duwaji, revealed praise for individuals tied to a U.S.-designated terrorist organization and harsh denunciations of American troops—raising serious concerns about judgment and ideology at the highest levels of city leadership.
The posts, uncovered by the Washington Free Beacon, date back to 2015 through 2017 and were originally shared on Tumblr and other now-defunct platforms. They include explicit references to figures associated with the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), a group officially designated as a foreign terrorist organization by the U.S. State Department since 1997.
In one September 2017 post, Duwaji shared an image of Leila Khaled, a prominent PFLP member involved in multiple commercial airline hijackings in 1969 and 1970. During one incident, Khaled reportedly threatened to detonate a grenade to force entry into a cockpit—an act that put innocent civilian lives at grave risk.
Duwaji paired the image with a quote attributed to Khaled: “If it does good for my cause, I’ll be happy to accept death.”
Khaled remains a deeply controversial figure due to her role in international terrorism, while the PFLP itself has carried out numerous attacks over the decades, including bombings and kidnappings targeting civilians.
In another post from March 2015, Duwaji reshared content praising Shadia Abu Ghazaleh, a militant killed in 1968 while assembling a bomb intended for attacks against Israeli targets. The post referred to her as the “first Palestinian woman to fight in resistance after 1967 occupation” and was tagged with #InternationalWomensDay.
Additional posts referenced the First Intifada, the Palestinian uprising that spanned from 1987 to 1993 and included widespread violence and unrest. In December 2017, Duwaji shared a historical image of a protester preparing a Palestinian Liberation Organization flag ahead of a demonstration during that period.
She also circulated a Bangladeshi postage stamp bearing the message: “We salute the valiant freedom fighters of Palestine.”
Perhaps most alarming to critics, however, are posts directly targeting American service members. In a July 2015 repost, Duwaji shared a message stating: “American soldiers fighting in imperialist wars are not brave nor are they fighting for anyone’s freedom. They are mercilessly slaughtering 3rd world civilians and fighting to maintain American hegemony. That is all, thank you!”
The rhetoric, critics argue, goes beyond political disagreement and veers into outright hostility toward U.S. troops.
Duwaji’s background adds further context to the controversy. Born in New Jersey to a Syrian family, she spent much of her upbringing in Dubai before attending Virginia Commonwealth University, where she initially studied at its Qatar campus before transferring to Richmond, Virginia.
The accounts tied to the posts have since been deleted, and as of now, neither Duwaji nor Mayor Mamdani has issued a public statement addressing the revelations or distancing themselves from the content.
The timing of the controversy is significant, coming amid heightened national debate over Middle East policy, rising concerns about antisemitism, and broader questions about national security. Critics argue that expressions of admiration for individuals involved in hijackings and bomb plots cannot simply be dismissed as youthful or rhetorical missteps.
With the PFLP’s long history of violence and its formal designation as a terrorist organization under U.S. law, the resurfaced posts are likely to intensify scrutiny not only of Duwaji but also of those in positions of political power closely connected to her.
City Hall has yet to respond, but pressure is building. Whether Mamdani addresses the issue directly—or continues to remain silent—could prove politically consequential as voters weigh leadership, values, and accountability in one of America’s most prominent cities under President Donald J. Trump’s second term.