By Evgenia Filimianova
U.S. First Lady Melania Trump will make history on March 2 when she presides over a U.N. Security Council meeting, becoming the first spouse of any world leader to do so, the United Nations said on Feb 26.
The United States assumes the rotating presidency of the 15-member council for the month of March next week, taking over from the United Kingdom.
Her appearance will coincide with renewed debate over Washington’s role at the world body, as U.S. President Donald Trump balances pointed criticism of the U.N. with declarations of its potential.
When asked at a regular briefing whether Melania Trump’s appearance was a positive sign for U.N.–U.S. relations, U.N. spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said it showed “the importance that the United States feels towards the Security Council and the subject at hand,” referring to the meeting’s agenda.
He said that Rosemary DiCarlo, the U.N. undersecretary-general for political and peacebuilding affairs, would brief the council on behalf of U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres during the session.
The U.S. Mission to the U.N. said in a Feb. 26 post on X that as Washington assumes the council presidency, the first Lady “will make history, taking up the gavel” and “will promote education’s role in securing peace.”
The mission added that the Trump administration “continues to do more for world peace than any other in American history,” and said it would provide updates on the March 2 meeting.
The Epoch Times reached out to the White House for further details but did not receive a response by publication time.
Melania Trump has made children affected by armed conflict a signature issue.
On Aug. 15, 2025, during a summit in Anchorage, Alaska, she sent a letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin that President Trump personally delivered, urging protection for children caught up in the Russia–Ukraine war.
She announced in October 2025 that the effort had led to eight war-displaced children being reunited with their families.
UN Funding, Reform
The historic appearance comes amid financial and political tensions between Washington and the U.N.
In October 2025, Guterres, whose second five-year term ends in December, warned that the organization faced a “race to bankruptcy” unless member states paid their dues in full and on time.
President Trump, speaking from Florida in an interview published by Politico on Feb. 1, said he was unaware that the United States owed money to the U.N. but expressed confidence that he could resolve any shortfall.
“If they came to Trump and told him, I’d get everybody to pay up, just like I got NATO to pay up. All I have to do is call these countries,” he said. “They would send checks within minutes.”
Earlier, on Jan. 7, the Trump administration issued a memorandum directing executive departments and federal agencies to “cease participating in and funding 35 non-United Nations (U.N.) organizations and 31 U.N. entities that operate contrary to U.S. national interests, security, economic prosperity, or sovereignty.”
Despite his criticism of the organization, Trump has also suggested the U.N. could play a constructive role. He recently established a “Board of Peace” to handle issues following the Gaza cease-fire and, at one point, said it could replace the United Nations.
He later said that although the U.N. has never lived up to its potential, “you’ve got to let the U.N. continue because the potential is so great.”
When asked whether Trump had scheduled a call with Guterres, Dujarric said on Feb. 26 that there was “no phone call for me to confirm as of yet.”
