New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and his wife, Rama Duwaji, are facing intense scrutiny after resurfaced social media posts show her praising figures tied to a U.S.-designated terrorist organization and sharply attacking American troops.
The posts, uncovered by the Washington Free Beacon, date from 2015 to 2017 and were published on Tumblr and other now-deactivated accounts. They include explicit references to members of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), which has been designated a foreign terrorist organization by the U.S. State Department since 1997.
In a September 2017 post, Duwaji shared an image of Leila Khaled, a longtime PFLP member who participated in two commercial airline hijackings in 1969 and 1970. During one of the incidents, Khaled reportedly threatened to detonate a grenade in an attempt to force entry into a cockpit.
Duwaji posted Khaled’s image alongside a quote attributed to her: “If it does good for my cause, I’ll be happy to accept death.”
Khaled remains a polarizing symbol internationally, particularly because of her involvement in aircraft hijackings that endangered civilian lives. The PFLP has claimed responsibility for numerous attacks over decades, including bombings and kidnappings.
In another March 2015 post, Duwaji reposted a message praising Shadia Abu Ghazaleh, a militant who was killed in 1968 while assembling a bomb intended for use in attacks against Israeli targets. The post described Abu Ghazaleh as the “first Palestinian woman to fight in resistance after 1967 occupation” and was tagged #InternationalWomensDay.
The resurfaced posts also include material tied to the First Intifada, the Palestinian uprising from 1987 to 1993 that involved widespread unrest, violent clashes, and attacks. In December 2017, Duwaji shared a historical photograph of a protester sewing a Palestinian Liberation Organization flag before a demonstration during the uprising.
In a separate September 2017 entry, she shared an image of a Bangladeshi postage stamp that read: “We salute the valiant freedom fighters of Palestine.”
Beyond posts tied to militant figures and uprisings, Duwaji also amplified rhetoric directly targeting American service members.
In a July 2015 repost, she 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 language in that post characterized U.S. troops as aggressors engaged in unjust wars and dismissed their service entirely.
The posts appear to have been made while Duwaji was living abroad. Born in New Jersey to a Syrian family, she moved to Dubai as a child before later attending Virginia Commonwealth University. She initially enrolled at the university’s Qatar campus before transferring to Richmond, Virginia.
The social media accounts connected to the posts are no longer active. As of publication, there has been no public explanation or repudiation of the content.
The revelations are likely to raise questions about the political and ideological positions of individuals closely tied to New York City’s leadership, particularly given the sensitivity surrounding terrorism and U.S. national security.
The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine has a long history of violence, including attacks targeting civilians. Its designation as a terrorist organization under U.S. law makes material support or endorsement of its activities a serious matter in federal criminal statutes.
While the posts date back nearly a decade, the substance of the content — including praise for individuals involved in hijackings and bomb plots and denunciations of U.S. troops — has drawn immediate criticism from observers who argue that such rhetoric goes beyond mere political expression.
City Hall has not yet issued a formal statement addressing the resurfaced posts.
The controversy is unfolding at a time of heightened tension over Middle East policy, antisemitism concerns, and domestic political divisions. Whether Mamdani or his wfie will publicly respond to the report remains unclear, but the content of the posts — particularly those praising figures associated with violent acts — is now squarely in the public spotlight.