New York City Mayor's Wife Rama Duwaji Faces Scrutiny Over Past Anti-Semitic Social Media Activity

New York, March 22, 2026 - Rama Duwaji, the wife of Mayor Zohran Mamdani and New York City's current first lady, has come under renewed public scrutiny following reports detailing old social media posts from her teenage years and early twenties.

According to investigations by outlets including the Washington Free Beacon and the New York Post, accounts attributed to Duwaji on platforms such as Tumblr and X (formerly Twitter) between approximately 2013 and 2017 contained content praising figures associated with Palestinian militant groups. One notable example from September 2017 involved a Tumblr post featuring a photograph of Leila Khaled, a member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP)-a U.S.-designated terrorist organization-who participated in airplane hijackings in 1969 and 1970. The post reportedly included a caption echoing statements attributed to Khaled.

Additional resurfaced material allegedly included reposts or commentary expressing strong criticism of Israel, U.S. foreign policy, and American military actions, with some posts using phrases sharply critical of Tel Aviv or describing certain actions in the context of Palestinian resistance. Reports also indicated that some older content included the use of racial slurs and homophobic language.

More recently, Duwaji has been linked to professional creative work supporting activist causes. As a professional illustrator and animator, she reportedly created artwork for a Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) New York City chapter campaign called "PalestineOnTheBallot.com." The initiative promoted political candidates critical of Israel and supported efforts targeting pro-Israel organizations, with graphics credited to Duwaji appearing in related social media materials.

Duwaji, a 28-year-old Syrian-American artist, has deleted or made private several older social media accounts amid the controversy. Some reports note her past likes on Instagram posts in 2024 that questioned aspects of reporting on events from October 7, 2023, or expressed support for Palestinian resistance in the immediate aftermath of the Hamas attack on Israel.

The resurfaced posts and recent affiliations have sparked debate over free expression, the responsibilities of public figures' family members, and the intersection of personal history with political office. Duwaji has not issued a detailed public response to the specific allegations regarding the older content, though the matter continues to generate discussion in local and national media as of March 2026.