President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump encountered an unexpected mishap at the United Nations on Tuesday when the escalator carrying them suddenly stopped, forcing the couple to walk up the stalled machine before Trump’s scheduled address to world leaders. The incident, which occurred shortly before 10 a.m. at UN headquarters in New York City, prompted White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt to call for an immediate investigation. “If someone at the UN intentionally stopped the escalator as the President and First Lady were stepping on, they need to be fired and investigated immediately,” Leavitt wrote on X, citing a report from The Times of London that UN staffers had previously joked about cutting off access to escalators and elevators for Trump’s arrival.
Later that evening on Fox News’s Jesse Watters Primetime, Leavitt suggested the malfunction “appears” to be sabotage, pointing to reports that some UN employees had mocked Trump’s visit. “If we find that these were UN staffers who were purposefully trying to trip up, literally trip up, the president and the first lady of the United States, well there better be accountability,” she said. The U.S. Secret Service is also reviewing the matter, according to Leavitt.
United Nations officials quickly dismissed speculation of intentional wrongdoing. Stéphane Dujarric, spokesman for Secretary-General António Guterres, told reporters that the stoppage was caused by a built-in safety feature. According to Dujarric, a videographer from the U.S. delegation had stepped onto the escalator ahead of the Trumps while walking backward to film their arrival. As the videographer reached the top, the movement triggered a safety mechanism designed to prevent objects or people from becoming caught in the machinery. “Our technician, who was at the location, reset the escalator as soon as the delegation had climbed up to the second floor,” Dujarric explained. A follow-up investigation, including a readout of the machine’s central processing unit, confirmed that the escalator had stopped after a safety sensor on the comb step was activated. He emphasized that the malfunction was mechanical, not deliberate, and that there was “nothing nefarious” behind the incident.
Trump addressed the mishap during his speech before the 80th United Nations General Assembly, turning it into a moment of humor. “All I got from the United Nations was an escalator that on the way up stopped right in the middle,” Trump said, drawing laughter from the audience. He joked that the situation might have been dangerous if the First Lady “wasn’t in great shape.” Moments later, another minor technical issue occurred when his teleprompter froze. Trump ad-libbed, saying, “I feel very happy to be up here with you nevertheless — and that way you speak more from the heart — I can only say that whoever is operating this teleprompter is in big trouble,” again earning laughs before the device resumed working.
The twin mishaps highlighted both Trump’s improvisational speaking style and the tension surrounding his relationship with the United Nations. Throughout his presidency, Trump has frequently criticized the organization as inefficient and overly bureaucratic, accusing it of “creating new problems” rather than resolving existing global conflicts. His administration has often clashed with UN leadership on issues ranging from climate policy to international peacekeeping and refugee programs.
In his Tuesday address, Trump reiterated his criticism, contrasting his administration’s foreign policy achievements with what he described as a lack of meaningful assistance from the UN. “I ended seven wars, dealt with the leaders of these countries, and never even received a phone call from the United Nations offering to help in finalizing the deal,” he said. Despite the morning’s escalator mishap and teleprompter glitch, Trump’s appearance ultimately reinforced his familiar stance: a blend of humor, defiance, and sharp skepticism toward the world body he has long viewed as falling short of its global responsibilities.
