New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and his wife Rama Duwaji react as confetti falls during his inauguration ceremony in New York City, U.S., January 1, 2026. REUTERS/Jeenah Moon
(New York, New York) – New York City First Lady Rama Duwaji has deleted an account on X after past posts surfaced online showing the use of offensive language, including racial and homophobic slurs.
The posts, which are believed to date back to her teenage years and early 20s, began circulating on social media in recent days, quickly drawing backlash and renewed scrutiny. Screenshots shared online appear to show the use of the N-word as well as derogatory language targeting LGBTQ individuals.
The account in question has since been deactivated, and while it has not been independently verified, it is widely believed by online users to have belonged to Duwaji.
The controversy has sparked debate over how public figures should be judged for past social media activity, particularly posts made years before entering public life. Critics argue the language is unacceptable regardless of when it was written, while others say individuals should be allowed to grow and move beyond past mistakes.
Duwaji has not publicly commented on the situation.
