Melania Trump to chair a meeting of the UN Security Council, White House says

WASHINGTON - First lady Melania Trump will chair a meeting ​of the United Nations Security Council on Monday as the U.S. takes over the monthly rotating ⁠presidency, the White House said.

Melania Trump will emphasize education ‌as a way to advance ​tolerance and world peace at the meeting, which will be the first time a sitting American first lady presides over the ⁠15-member council, the first lady’s office ‌said in a ‌statement Wednesday.

U.S. President Donald Trump has been a vocal critic of the ⁠United Nations since his first White House term, saying the 193-member world ‌body was ineffective and ‌needed reforms. 

Trump struck a more conciliatory tone last week at the first meeting of ⁠his Board of Peace, an initiative ​he said aims ⁠to ​resolve conflicts globally but one that many world leaders have failed to embrace amid concerns it was designed to ⁠replace the United Nations.

“The board of peace is going to almost be looking over the United ⁠Nations and making sure it runs properly,” Trump said on Feb. 19. “We’re going to strengthen up the United Nations. ⁠We’re going to make ‌sure its facilities are good. … ​We’re ‌going to help them money-wise, and we’re ​going to make sure the United Nations is viable.”