Donald Trump Speaks Out on UN Escalator Malfunction
The United States president is making headlines once more, this time because of what he called “a real disgrace” at the United Nations (UN).
Following a series of embarrassing mistakes that overshadowed his high-profile appearance at the UN, Donald Trump is seeking answers. The US president said in a scathing Truth Social post that three distinct incidents occurred during his visit, all of which he claimed were planned and deliberate.
The escalator stops screaming.
Even before he got to the podium, Donald writes, the turmoil started. He claimed they almost fell forward onto the steel steps as the escalator carrying him and First Lady Melania Trump to the Main Speaking Floor came to a screeching stop.
“It would have been disastrous if we hadn’t been each gripping the handrail securely. According to a ‘post’ made the day before in The London Times, UN employees ‘joked about turning off an escalator,’ therefore this was blatant sabotage,” he said.
And the article from the outlet supports this assertion. According to the source, UN employees had made a joke about turning off elevators and escalators to commemorate Donald’s arrival and informing him that they were out of money and that he would have to use the steps instead.
This particular section of the article was posted by White House Press Secretary Katherine Leavitt, who also said, “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.”
Online Outrage and Suspicion
Donald Trump has now demanded that anyone suspected of being complicit in what he called a “real disgrace” be taken into custody. Online, this episode has also generated a flurry of intense responses. Someone expressed anxiety, saying, “Security threat! “Prove me wrong!”
Another person elaborated, stating, “The Secret Service simply looked about in the hopes that someone would address the issue when the escalator abruptly stopped. Trump became a stationary target as a result of that, which wasn’t intended. Why didn’t they cover him and get him out right away?
Another voice emphasized, “Yes! Agents ought to have protected them right away. “Those who stopped it should be charged,” said others. That is a serious security concern. A commentator expressed suspicion right away, saying, “No way it was [sic] coincidence.”
One person complained about professionalism, saying, “Very Distasteful! “Those who did that ought to be fired.” Someone else said, “Very petty move.” A person who thought the entire situation was a little funny wrote, “Sketchy but looks like he figured out you can walk up a stationary escalator.”
“You do realize the entire UN is extensively swept [sic], scanned, and monitored for any potential threats before Trump gets there, right?” said one individual, injecting a dose of realism. It didn’t matter if Trump stopped completely or if the escalator was going two to three feet per second if a concealed sniper was looking through an HVAC vent or anything.
“Some UN employees joked last week that they might stop the escalator when Trump was on it, and it made it to the news,” the individual added, speculating about what might have happened. Although I doubt criminal charges would result from it, they should undoubtedly be dismissed for the following and, if they also tampered with the teleprompter, for that as well.”
Claim of Triple Sabotage
In his Truth Social post, Donald brought attention to three concerns, including the escalator, which has already generated a lot of controversy online. He asserted that the second problem arose as he was starting to speak to a worldwide audience.
Donald said that his teleprompter went “stone cold dark,” leaving him to give his address unguided for the first fifteen minutes. “The Speech has received excellent reviews, which is good news. Perhaps they understood that I was the only one who could have done it,” he exclaimed.
Donald claims that a sound outage within the hall constituted a third failure. He claimed that unless they wore translation earpieces, world leaders were unable to hear him. He remembered asking Melania how he had done after his speech, but she acknowledged that she hadn’t heard a word.
“This was triple sabotage at the UN; it wasn’t a coincidence. They should feel embarrassed about themselves. The president said, “I demand an immediate investigation, and I’m sending a copy of this letter to the Secretary General.”
Donald maintained that the episodes were indicative of more serious shortcomings at the UN, which has had difficulty fulfilling its mission. He advised the preservation of all escalator-related security footage, especially that which shows the area surrounding the emergency stop button.
The president concluded by requesting that his concerns be given prompt consideration and said that the Secret Service was already investigating the situation.
The world watches as the golden escalator grinds to a stop.
Donald and Melania Trump attended the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) at the UN headquarters in New York City on September 23, 2025, as we previously reported.
However, the unimaginable occurred as they gathered to take part in this year’s session, which had as its theme “Better together: 80 years and more for peace, development and human rights”; diplomats and the world press were in attendance.
The POTUS and FLOTUS were left stumbling awkwardly at the bottom of the golden-colored mechanism after the escalator carrying the first couple came to an abrupt stop in a now-viral moment that has taken over social media. The Trumps seemed slightly taken aback as the machinery halted just as it started to ascend.
Around them, cameras kept flashing, and Melania was seen looking back as though she was waiting for help. As the escalator remained motionless beneath his feet, the president, accompanied by security and aides, likewise turned to evaluate the situation.
Looking back, the couple seemed a little annoyed. A picture of their faces showed Melania giving someone or something a side-eye or a little glare, while her husband remained stoic.
Donald Trump Trails Behind Melania Trump as She Takes Charge
Ironically, the escalator right next to them was still operating flawlessly, which added to the moment’s impact. Melania quickly assumed control while wearing a stylish cream blazer and matching trousers.
In a silent display of poise and resolve, the first lady started up the stationary escalator with steady grace and heels clicking against the metal. Donald trailed behind, clearly adjusting his position, and ascended the iced staircase, which was now merely a static building.
The Trumps continued to go forward in spite of the setback, with every move being documented by the world’s media. As the pair climbed, reporters yelled questions at them in an effort to capture the moment. However, the president remained silent.
One widely shared image shows Donald making a quick motion with his index finger, which may have been a modest nod in reaction to the chaos below or a signal to continue walking.
The UN Discloses the True Cause of the Escalator Failure
A UN official addressed the matter in a formal statement in the hours after the escalator breakdown, providing an explanation for the sudden stop.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ spokesperson, Stéphane Dujarric, stated that the accident was caused by a built-in safety mechanism that was activated, possibly by a member of the U.S. delegation, rather than a technical malfunction.
“President Trump, accompanied by the First Lady and delegation, arrived at the UNHQ building this morning, and entered through the Delegate’s entrance,” Stéphane stated in his statement. “After passing through the security gates, President Trump and the First Lady approached the escalator.”
He continued by explaining that a U.S. delegation videographer had gotten on the escalator shortly before the pair, traveling backwards to try to record their climb, while he was trying to record the Trumps’ entrance.
“The First Lady and President Trump both climbed the stairs at the bottom as the videographer, who was going backwards up the escalator [sic], reached the top. The escalator stopped at that same point (9:50 a.m.),” the spokesperson clarified.
UN staff reacted quickly. “Our technician, who was at the location, reset the escalator as soon as the delegation had climbed up to the second floor,” he said. A follow-up examination verified that a safety feature integrated into the comb step had really been triggered, including a readout of the escalator’s central processing unit.
Stéphane explained that the protection is “designed to prevent people or objects accidentally being caught and stuck in or pulled into the gearing.”
The White House had demanded an investigation into the incident before offering an explanation. Later, in his speech to the General Assembly, Donald also admitted to the accident.
Even with the escalator accident, the day’s activities went according to plan.
The day’s activities at the UN headquarters proceeded according to schedule, despite the unexpected start to the morning. The UN Secretary-General gave opening remarks for the 80th session of the General Assembly at 9 a.m. ET, and Assembly President Annalena Baerbock then spoke.
Shortly after Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, the POTUS was scheduled to speak as the second head of state.
His day’s schedule includes important diplomatic encounters with prominent world leaders, including Argentine President Javier Milei, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
In the face of mounting international pressure over the Gaza crisis, he was scheduled to host multilateral discussions with Arab and Muslim leaders later in the day. Alongside dozens of international peers, the president was to attend a ceremonial diplomatic banquet to wrap out his stay.
As Donald Trump takes the stage, there are numerous technical issues.
Donald had other hiccups during his day at the UN event besides the escalator accident. As the president stood at the podium in front of a group of foreign leaders, he encountered yet another technological problem, this time with the teleprompter that was supposed to direct his remarks.
At the beginning of his speech, Donald declared, “I don’t mind making this speech without a teleprompter, because the teleprompter is not working,” which caused the audience to erupt in laughter.
However, he continued, “I feel very happy to be up here with you, nevertheless, and that way, you speak more from the heart,” making the interruption humorous.
Nevertheless, the president couldn’t help but make a scathing remark about whoever made the mistake. He joked, “I can only say that whoever is operating this teleprompter is in big trouble,” which caused the room to erupt in further laughter.
After speaking for a few minutes, Donald seemed to change his mind and instead mention a printed copy of his address, which he was holding in his hands.
Although the momentary malfunction didn’t appear to seriously disrupt his speech, it was the second time that day that the president became the focus of widespread attention due to technological issues.
