Unusual role for Melania Trump: The First Lady is supposed to chair a meeting of the UN Security Council. A symbolic gesture in times of tense US-UN relations.
02/27/2026, 09:1002/27/2026, 09:19
Anna-Lena Janzen / t-online
The First Lady of the USA, Melania Trumpwill chair a meeting of the U.N. Security Council on Monday as the U.S. assumes the monthly rotating presidency. It is the first time that the wife of a sitting head of state has chaired a meeting of the 15-member body, a UN spokesman said on Wednesday.
Melania Trump, First Lady of the USA. Image: keystone
The session, entitled “Children, Technology and Education in Conflict,” was intended to emphasize education as a path to greater tolerance and world peace, said Melania Trump’s office. The First Lady will “go down in history,” it said in a statement.
The appearance comes during tense relations between the United States and the United Nations. president Donald Trump had that U.N. repeatedly criticized as ineffective and called for reforms. The US is more than $4 billion behind on its UN contributions.
However, UN spokesman Stéphane Dujarric viewed Melania Trump’s appearance as a sign that the USA is taking the Security Council and the issue seriously.
Melania Trump leads initiative for child welfare
Melania Trump has been committed to the welfare of children since her husband’s first term in office. In 2018, the First Lady put the well-being of children at the center of her work with her “Be Best” initiative. In doing so, she promoted healthy lifestyles, campaigned against opioid abuse and for responsible use of social media.
Another focus is on foster children: Trump says he is committed to reforms in the foster care system and supports programs that are intended to improve training and career prospects. She also repeatedly visited hospitals and children’s facilities and emphasized the importance of a safe environment.
At the same time, her commitment was not without criticism: in 2018, she came under discussion as a result of the US government’s “zero tolerance” policy, when migrant families were separated at the border and she visited a reception center. In the context of the war in Ukraine, she spoke out in favor of repatriating affected children.