‘Thank you, Madam President’: Melania Trump chairs UN meeting on children in conflict

UNITED NATIONS, United States - US First Lady Melania Trump pressed the cause of children caught in conflict as she chaired a UN Security Council meeting on March 2, as the United States and Israel waged war against Iran.

Ambassadors from all of the Security Council’s members, including Washington’s rivals Russia and China, lined up to meet Mrs Trump, representing the US as it takes over the monthly rotating presidency of the Security Council.

She opened the meeting with a strike of a ceremonial gavel before thanking Britain for its month-long presidency, and spoke again later, apparently to honour US service members killed in the war on Iran. “To the families who have lost their heroes who sacrifice their lives for freedom, their bravery and dedication will always be remembered,” she said before the packed chamber.

“Enduring peace will be achieved when knowledge and understanding are fully valued within all our societies,” she added. “Societies ruled by knowledge and wisdom are therefore more peaceful.”

Ahead of the meeting, Iran’s Ambassador to the UN Amir Saeid Iravani said “it is deeply shameful and hypocritical that on the very first day of its presidency of the Security Council, the United States convened a high-level meeting on protecting children”.

Moments later, the First Lady said “the US stands with all of the children throughout the world. I hope soon peace will be yours” – without referring directly to the attacks across the Middle East.

She was warmly received by the countries represented in the Council, however, with Greece’s Ambassador Aglaia Balta saying “thank you, Madam President”, while France’s envoy compared her to the celebrated former first lady and activist Eleanor Roosevelt.

Financial, political tensions

Mr Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for the UN secretary-general, confirmed that Mrs Trump’s appearance was the first time a first lady – or first gentleman – has presided over a Security Council meeting.

The US holds the Council’s rotating presidency for March.

President Donald Trump’s third wife has dabbled in diplomacy before, notably working to try to secure the release of Ukrainian children abducted by Russia.

Ms Rosemary DiCarlo, the UN under-secretary-general for political and peacebuilding affairs, paid tribute to her “for her work to give visibility to the issue of children in conflict, and particularly for her personal engagement to reunite Ukrainian children with their families”.

Political and financial tensions have mounted between the US and the UN in recent years, with Washington chafing at its role as the main contributor to the body’s cash-strapped budget.

Many observers say the US President intends to bypass the Security Council with his new “Board of Peace,” which held its inaugural session in Washington in February, with several countries pledging funds and personnel to rebuild Gaza. At the meeting, Mr Trump repeated his stance that the UN had failed in its mission.

Since returning to the White House in 2025, he has withdrawn support from several major UN agencies, including the World Health Organization.

The world body has recently launched a reform programme, and a few days ago, Washington paid US$160 million (S$202 million) into the organisation’s regular budget – after paying nothing in 2025. But the US is still US$4 billion in arrears to the UN for its regular budget and its peacekeeping budget, with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warning of imminent financial collapse. AFP