New York City’s newly elected Mayor Zohran Mamdani faces mounting scrutiny as his wife’s social media activity reveals support for Palestinian activists who celebrated the October 7 Hamas terror attacks, raising serious questions about the mayor’s credibility with the city’s Jewish community.
Story Highlights
- Mayor’s wife Rama Duwaji posted artwork honoring activist known for celebrating October 7 Hamas attacks
- Duwaji liked social media posts framing October 7 as “resistance” and dismissing sexual violence reports as a “mass rape hoax”
- Mamdani defends wife as “private person” while Republican leaders condemn celebration of terrorism
- Conservative artist compares Duwaji’s rising art profile to Hunter Biden’s politically-connected art sales
- Controversy undermines Mamdani’s campaign promises to combat antisemitism despite securing only 30% of Jewish voters
Wife’s Social Media Activity Exposes Pro-Hamas Sympathies
Rama Duwaji, a Brooklyn-based animator and illustrator, shared multiple Instagram posts supporting Palestinian activists with disturbing ties to Hamas terrorism. In October 2023, she honored Saleh al-Jafarawi as “Beloved Jafarawi,” a Palestinian influencer notorious for celebrating the October 7 massacre that killed over 1,200 Israelis. Reports from The Free Press and Jewish Insider revealed Duwaji also liked posts framing the brutal attacks as “resistance” or “breaking apartheid walls,” including images glorifying terrorists on Israeli vehicles and promoting the genocidal slogan “from the river to the sea.” Most disturbingly, she liked content dismissing documented October 7 sexual violence as a “mass rape hoax.”
Mamdani’s Defensive Response Fails to Address Concerns
At a Bronx press conference, Mayor Mamdani deflected criticism by characterizing his wife as “the love of my life” and “a private person” with no official role in his campaign or administration. City Hall issued a generic statement declaring “Hamas is a terrorist organization, October 7th was a horrific war crime,” but stopped short of condemning Duwaji’s specific actions or requiring accountability. This “private person” defense rings hollow for voters who expect the city’s leader to maintain moral clarity on terrorism. Some of Duwaji’s controversial likes mysteriously vanished after media exposure, suggesting awareness of the problematic optics while avoiding genuine repudiation.
Political Connections Boost Art Career Like Hunter Biden
Conservative artist Jon McNaughton drew parallels between Duwaji’s rising art profile and Hunter Biden’s lucrative art sales, both seemingly boosted by political family connections rather than artistic merit. McNaughton described Duwaji’s black-and-white sketches as having “modern illustrative Gothic and Art Nouveau” style but resembling “student sketchbook” work that gained prominence primarily through “correct politics.” Her artwork includes an animated sketch of detained Palestinian-Algerian activist Mahmoud Khalil, framing his ICE detention as an “attack on freedom of speech,” and a piece titled “Eyes On The Global Sumud Flotilla.” McNaughton noted the double standard where conservative political art gets labeled “propaganda” while left-leaning works receive institutional promotion and praise.
Jewish Community Trust Eroded by Broken Promises
The controversy strikes at Mamdani’s already tenuous relationship with New York City’s substantial Jewish population. During his 2025 campaign, the democratic socialist mayor promised to combat antisemitism and repeatedly condemned October 7 as a war crime, yet secured only approximately 30% of Jewish voters compared to 60% for Andrew Cuomo in previous elections. His prior rhetoric on Israel and campus activism had already generated distrust among Jewish New Yorkers. Republican Representative Mike Lawler and Lara Trump condemned the situation, with Lawler stating Mamdani “celebrated murder of New Yorkers.” This scandal threatens to completely undermine any credibility Mamdani built with Jewish constituents and could severely hamper his administration’s ability to address rising antisemitism.
Here's How Mamdani Excused His Wife Illustrating a Book for an Antisemitic Palestinian Activist
https://t.co/vRKhMjPKkB— Townhall Updates (@TownhallUpdates) March 16, 2026
The mayor’s attempt to compartmentalize his wife’s activism as separate from his governance ignores the reality that leaders’ families reflect on their judgment and values. Mamdani claims to represent “all 8.5 million” NYC residents, but his refusal to forcefully condemn his wife’s support for Hamas apologists suggests a troubling tolerance for antisemitic rhetoric. This represents exactly the kind of moral equivocation that erodes constitutional values and emboldens those who would celebrate terrorism against Americans and our allies. New Yorkers deserve leadership that unequivocally rejects those who glorify the murder of innocent civilians, regardless of personal relationships.
