You Can’t Erase Evil
New York City’s First Lady, Rama Dhwaj Mamdani, seems to be trying to distance herself from her past. Just a few clicks, and she’s gone—deleted her accounts on X and Tumblr after old posts resurfaced. In those posts, she defended the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, even criticizing the U.S. military.
But let’s be clear: these aren’t the musings of a teenager stumbling through social media. And while Mayor Mamdani may call his wife a “private person,” it’s evident that she likely influences policy, and he appears to share her troubling views.
For example, there’s her post where she “liked” a comment claiming the New York Times was spreading a “massive falsehood” about Hamas using sexual assault as a weapon against Jews. This comes after a Times investigation titled “How Hamas weaponized sexual violence on Oct. 7,” published just two years ago, revealing horrific acts aimed at Jews in Israel.
Unfortunately, in Mamdani’s world, the term genocide seems only applicable to Jews accused of seeking to ethnically cleanse Muslims.
Her posts from 2015 show a particularly harsh view: she stated that Tel Aviv “shouldn’t exist” and labeled its residents as “occupiers.” On Tumblr, her rants included praise for Palestinian plane hijacker Leila Khaled while condemning American soldiers for their actions abroad.
In one repost, she heavily criticized white people for the creation of al-Qaeda. Meanwhile, Zoran Mamdani defended her extreme views, claiming she had no official role in his election campaign.
However, the mayor’s consistent interactions with those who sympathize with terrorists reveals a troubling partnership between the two.
Unpleasant Images
Recently, the mayor posted a photo on Instagram featuring anti-Israel protester Khalil Mahmoud at Gracie Mansion. This photo, taken at a significant public venue, felt unsettling. It appeared to legitimize a figure whose actions have led to threats and assaults on Jewish students at Ivy League schools.
These incidents go beyond mere speech—they qualify as hate crimes.
Mamdani described Khalil’s experiences over the past year as being “marked by deep hardship and deep courage.” This support for violent anti-Semites reflects poorly on the mayor, who represents a city with the largest Jewish population outside of Israel.
If Mamdani aims to be the mayor for all New Yorkers and his wife the first lady for everyone, simply deleting social media accounts won’t suffice. An acknowledgment of past actions and a sincere apology are the true steps toward rebuilding trust.
