UN Chief Hosts Luncheon for Heads of States at the General Assembly Meetings

United Nations: World leaders began entering the grand U.N. Delegates Lounge at around 1:15. Dozens of round tables, covered in white tablecloths, salads and wine and water glasses, filled the room. The southern wall of the delegates lounge was lined with the flags of the U.N. member states and a row of artworks, including paintings and a large woven Chinese tapestry depicting the Great Wall of China. Among the first leaders to enter the room was Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, dressed in a light grey suit with a yellow tie, South African President Jacob Zuma, South Korean President Moon Jae-in and Jordanian King Abdullah II. Photographers and camera operators jostled through the crowd of dignitaries to film and photograph the event. A U.N. security detail emerged ahead of U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres, who made his way to the main table in the center of the delegate's lounge.

Shortly after, Gen. John Kelly, the U.S. president's chief of staff, Rex Tillerson, the U.S. Secretary of State and Jeffery Feltman, the U.N. Undersecretary General for Political Affairs, and the most senior American national at the United Nations, entered ahead of President Donald Trump, who was trailed by his U.N. envoy, Nikki Haley.

Trump made his way through the crowd, making small talk and shaking hands. He greeted various leaders, including Erna Solberg, the Prime Minister of Norway, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, King Abdullah II and Prime Minister Abe. Nikki Haley, at a table next to the President's, sat between Iraq's prime minister Haidar Al-Abadi and Australia's foreign minister, Julie Bishop. Tillerson said at a separate table alongside other foreign dignitaries, including Oman's Foreign Minister Yusuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah. Trump sat down at the main table with President Abe at his right and the U.N. Secretary General at his left. Also seated at the main table, were King Abdullah II, South Korean President Moon, Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, and Lithuania President Dalia Grybauskaite. The menu was in French and English. They were served an appetizer of wild rocket & baby red romaine lettuce, topped with roasted chanterelle mushrooms and haricot verts, grilled stone fruit, and smothered in white balsamic & truffle vinaigrette. The appetizer was paired with a 2016 Xavier Flouret Sancerre from France. The main course consisted of a pan seared Wagyu beef tenderloin steak with Yukon gold fondant potatoes, roasted asparagus & baby carrots, paired with a 2013 Starmont Cabernet Sauvignon, from Napa Valley, California. For dessert, they were served chocolate genoise cake, and chocolate mousse with a touch of fresh raspberries and passion fruit coulis. Dessert was served with a forty-year old Rozes Port from Portugal. Trump, as the leader of the U.N.'s host nation, also delivered an introductory speech: "I have to say that as someone born in New York and raised in New York it’s a great honor to have the United Nations in New York. It always has been. For years I’ve been a critic but I’m someone’s who’s said the United Nations has tremendous potential….There is no better forum, there can be no better forum, and certainly there can be no better location where everybody comes together…… but we can do better and we’re going to. Potential of the United Nations is unlimited…..you’re going to do things that will be epic. I certainly hope you will. I feel very, very confident…toast to the potential, the great, great potential of the United Nations.” (no applause) Trump took his glass of Cabernet to the podium and gave a toast> After the toast, he returned to his seat, took a sip, grimaced and motioned to someone to remove it. What appeared to be a soft drink with ice was brought to his table.