NEW YORK — Rama Duwaji, the First Lady of New York City and wife of Mayor Zohran Mamdani, is facing intense scrutiny following a report by the Washington Free Beacon that linked her to controversial social media posts from her late teens and early twenties. The posts, spanning from 2013 to 2017, include the use of a racial slur, criticism of the U.S. military, and inflammatory statements regarding Israel.
Key Allegations from the Report
The investigation utilized facial recognition and biographical cross-referencing to link Duwaji to inactive or deleted accounts on X (formerly Twitter) and Tumblr:
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Racial Slurs: A 2013 post allegedly shows Duwaji using the N-word in a casual context.
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Anti-Israel Rhetoric: Several posts from 2015 and 2017 stated that Tel Aviv “shouldn’t exist” and described the city as occupied territory.
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Praise for Militant Figures: The report highlights re-posts of Leila Khaled, a member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), a U.S.-designated terrorist organization.
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Criticism of U.S. Troops: One post allegedly claimed U.S. soldiers were “not brave” and were “slaughtering 3rd world civilians” rather than fighting for freedom.
Context of Recent Controversies
This report follows a string of recent headlines involving the First Lady’s online activity:
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October 7 “Likes”: Earlier in March 2026, Duwaji was criticized for “liking” posts that celebrated the Hamas attack on Israel and dismissed reports of sexual violence as a “hoax.”
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Professional Associations: She recently faced backlash for illustrating a book by anti-Zionist author Susan Abulhawa, who has used highly inflammatory language toward Jewish people.
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Israel Entry Ban: Reports suggest Israel’s Ministry for Diaspora Affairs is considering banning Duwaji from entering the country, citing her social media history as “unrestrained.”
The Mayor’s Response
Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who took office in January 2026 as the city’s first Muslim mayor, has consistently defended his wife while distancing her from his administration:
“My wife is the love of my life, and she’s also a private person who has held no formal position on my campaign or in my City Hall. I was elected to represent all 8.5 million people… and it’s my responsibility to answer for my thoughts and my policies.”
About Rama Duwaji
Born in Houston and raised in Dubai, Duwaji (28) is an accomplished animator and illustrator whose work has appeared in The New Yorker, The Washington Post, and the BBC. She is the first Gen Z and first Muslim First Lady of New York City.
