NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s wife, Rama Duwaji, left the country this week ahead of America’s 250th anniversary celebrations, traveling to an Islamic “spiritual wellness” retreat on the Spanish resort island of Mallorca, The Post has learned.
Duwaji, a Syrian-American artist raised in Dallas and educated in Dubai who has previously drawn criticism for remarks about the United States, was seen Monday at Newark International Airport as she boarded an eight-hour flight to Palma, the capital of Mallorca in the western Mediterranean.
Her destination was a sold-out program organized by The Women’s Sanctuary. The 29-year-old illustrator and ceramist serves as the for-profit group’s “artist in residence” and is listed among the retreat’s hosts.
The retreat, called “Plants Of The Quran,” costs $3,400 for attendees. According to the organization’s website, the event began Wednesday and continues through Monday, focusing on sacred plants referenced in Islamic texts through art, botanical workshops and spiritual reflection.
Duwaji is also slated to help host a second sold-out Women’s Sanctuary retreat in Corsica, France, from July 9 to July 14. That program, titled “Mary In The Quran,” says it will “explore” in “depth” the luminous legacy of Mary, described as the most honored woman in the Qur’an.
Conservative commentator and comedian Arynne Wexler shared photos Friday on X showing Mamdani’s wife seated at a United Airlines gate before her flight. “Funny how when @ZohranKMamdani was telling New Yorkers to lower their AC his wife Rama Duwaji was boarding a flight to party in Mallorca,” Wexler wrote.
“Reminder that I can’t tag her because she deleted her account after her insanely offensive tweets were discovered. Champagne socialists,” Wexler added, referring to racial, homophobic and other controversial posts attributed to the first lady from more than a decade ago that resurfaced in the spring.
Wexler’s publicist told The Post on Saturday that a friend of Wexler’s was on the same flight as Duwaji, took the photos and passed them along to Wexler, who then posted them on X “to make sure people were aware.”
It’s unclear how much the flight cost, but as of Saturday the cheapest round-trip ticket to Palma from Newark for later this month was running $930.
Critics on Saturday ripped the first lady of America’s largest city for blowing off the birthday bash.
“Nothing says ‘America 250’ quite like skipping the celebration for a Mediterranean vacation, but I am not surprised because she has made her hatred for America very evident,” ripped Councilwoman Joann Ariola (R-Queens.)
“It’s disappointing that the First Lady chose to be overseas instead of taking part in one of the biggest civic events our city and country will mark this year,” said Councilman Frank Morano (R-Staten Island).
“No one is saying elected officials and their families can’t take vacations, but this was a moment to show up for the city and for the country, and she missed it.”
The Mayor’s Office declined to address the criticism but said Duwaji was not accompanied on her trip by cops assigned to the First Couple’s taxpayer-funded NYPD detail.
Duwaji’s since-deleted social media posts include some praising Palestinian terror groups and others attacking US service members for assisting Israel, the Washington Free Beacon reported in March.
In 2015, she reposted a tirade on Tumblr, saying “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.”
Mamdani, also a staunch critic of Israel, has claimed his wife shouldn’t face scrutiny over her social media activity because she holds no formal position in his administration. Duwaji has since apologized for many of her past posts.
The silver-spoon socialist Mamdani remained behind in New York City the past week to deal with his first heat wave as mayor – and came under fire for imploring New Yorkers to set their air conditioners to 78 degrees, while temps in parts of City Hall were cooled as low as 54 degrees.
His participation in the America 250 celebration included decrying capitalism and the country’s involvement in foreign wars during a tone-deaf 15-minute address on Friday from City Hall— while sitting at George Washington’s former desk.
On Saturday, he attended the Sail4th 250 International Parade of Sail on Governors Island and later in the evening was scheduled to oversee a Fourth of July lighting ceremony at the Empire State Building.
