NEW YORK: First Lady Melania Trump presided over a United Nations Security Council meeting on Monday, calling for cause of children affected by conflict as fighting continued in the US-Israeli war against Iran.
Ambassadors from all of the Security Council's members, including Washington's rivals Russia and China, lined up to meet with Trump. Representing the United States as it assumed the monthly Security Council’s rotating presidency.
She opened the session with a ceremonial strike of the gavel, thanking the United Kingdom for its previous month-long presidency, and spoke again later apparently to honor US service members killed in the war on Iran.
“The US stands with all of the children throughout the world. I hope soon peace will be yours,” she said, without directly referencing the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
Later, she paid tribute to American 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 told the packed chamber. She added that “enduring peace will be achieved when knowledge and understanding are fully valued within all our societies.”
Ambassadors from all 15 Council members, including rivals Russia and China, attended the meeting and greeted the First Lady. Greece’s ambassador Aglaia Balta addressed her as “Madam President,” while France’s envoy drew comparisons to former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, a noted human rights advocate. Even Russia offered polite praise, steering clear of direct mention of Iran. Bahrain, a close US ally, was the only Council member to explicitly reference the conflict.
However, criticism emerged from Iran. Its UN ambassador, Amir Saeid Iravani, called it “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.
Even Russia joined the chorus of polite praise, avoiding any mention of Iran, which was mentioned only by Council member and Washington's staunch ally Bahrain. "I wish you all strength and resolve to succeed in preserving peace and security throughout the world," Trump said as she closed the two-hour meeting.
Financial, political tensions
Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for the UN secretary-general, confirmed that Trump's appearance was the first time a first lady or first gentleman had presided a Security Council meeting. The United States holds the Council's rotating presidency for March. President Donald Trump's third wife has dabbled in diplomacy before, notably to try to secure the release of Ukrainian children abducted by Russia.
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 United States and the United Nations 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 last month, with several countries pledging funds and personnel to rebuild Gaza. At the meeting, Trump repeated his stance that the UN had failed in its mission.
Since returning to the White House last year, he has withdrawn support from several major UN agencies, including the World Health Organization. The world body has recently launched a reform program, and a few days ago Washington paid $160 million into the organization's regular budget after paying nothing in 2025.
But the United States is still $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.
