Melania Trump presides over UNSC meeting on children in conflict — first spouse to chair Security Council during active US military operations

On March 3, First Lady Melania Trump became the first spouse of a world leader to preside over a UN Security Council meeting, chairing a session focused on children affected by armed conflict. She stated ‘US stands with all children throughout the world’ while US-Israeli strikes continued in Iran. UN political chief Rosemary DiCarlo noted the impact on children from both US-Israeli strikes and Iranian retaliation, specifically referencing the Minab girls’ school attack (148-168 students reported killed). The juxtaposition of a children-focused UN meeting with active military operations killing children drew immediate international media attention.