First lady Melania Trump will chair a United Nations Security Council session on Monday, the White House said, in an unusual move that coincides with the US assuming the council's rotating presidency for March. A statement said the meeting will focus on how schooling and digital tools can support tolerance and peace in war-affected areas, the Guardian reports. The White House said it will be the first time a sitting US first lady has presided over the 15-member council, a job typically handled by a country's UN ambassador or a senior Cabinet official. For that matter, a UN spokesman said, per the AP, no first lady or first gentleman "has ever presided over a Security Council meeting."
US Ambassador Mike Waltz is expected to attend the meeting, titled "Children, Technology, and Education in Conflict," along with other council representatives and international participants. Trump has highlighted issues involving children affected by the war in Ukraine, including efforts to return minors taken to Russia since the 2022 invasion. Her appearance at the UN comes against the backdrop of her husband's long-running criticism of the organization, per the Guardian, as well as President Trump's decision to withdraw the US from several UN-related bodies and cuts to funding for agencies. Also, the US owes the United Nations billions of dollars; it hasn't paid dues for last year or this one.