NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani Criticizes America as Wife Attends Luxury Islamic Retreat Abroad

Democratic‑socialist New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani used the nation’s 250th‑anniversary celebrations to deliver a speech denouncing capitalism, ICE and what he called an “arena of supremacy,” speaking from behind George Washington’s desk at City Hall. He also warned that oligarchs control wealth and urged “God bless America” at the end.

At the same time, his wife, artist‑in‑residence Rama Duwaji, traveled from Newark to Mallorca, Spain, to host the Women’s Sanctuary “Plants of the Quran” retreat, a for‑profit spiritual wellness program costing about $3,400 per participant. She is also slated to co‑host a follow‑up retreat in Corsica, France. Local Republican council members criticized her absence from the America 250 events, while the mayor defended her, noting she holds no official role. Duwaji later apologized for earlier social‑media posts that criticized U.S. military actions and expressed support for Palestinian groups.

The mayor’s remarks and his wife’s overseas trip have drawn criticism across the political spectrum, linking the city’s celebration to broader national debates on immigration, inequality and U.S. foreign policy.