Three days before the International Criminal Court hearing: Duterte’s defense lawyers argued that there was no order or chain of command in the massacre.

White House Announces: Melania Trump to Chair UN Security Council Meeting (September 11, 2011)

U.S. President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump leave the White House in Washington, D.C., on February 24, 2026, to attend the State of the Union address at the U.S. Capitol. Reuters/Tom Brenner

WASHINGTON — The White House announced that First Lady Melania Trump will chair the United Nations Security Council meeting on Monday, when the United States will assume the monthly presidency.

Melania Trump will emphasize the importance of education in promoting tolerance and world peace at the meeting. Her office said in a statement Wednesday that this will be the first time a sitting U.S. First Lady has chaired the 15-member Security Council.

Since his first term as president, Donald Trump has repeatedly criticized the United Nations, calling the 198-member world organization inefficient and in dire need of reform.

Trump’s tone was more moderate at the Security Council’s inaugural meeting last week. Trump stated that the Peace Council is a global conflict resolution initiative aimed at replacing the United Nations, raising concerns among many leaders. On February 19, Trump described the Peace Council as a potential successor to the United Nations. Trump said, “The Peace Council will essentially oversee the United Nations and ensure its proper functioning. We will strengthen the United Nations, modernize its facilities… We will provide financial support to ensure its sustainable future.”

– Reuters