Donald Trump Speaks Out on UN Escalator Malfunction

Donald Trump is demanding answers after a string of shocking mishaps marred his high-profile appearance at the UN. In a fiery Truth Social post, the US president alleged that not one, but three separate incidents unfolded during his visit, problems he insisted were intentional and orchestrated.

Escalator Comes To A Screeching Halt

Donald wrote that the trouble began even before he reached the podium. The escalator taking him and First Lady Melania Trump to the Main Speaking Floor suddenly came to a screeching halt, a jolt so sharp he said they nearly toppled forward onto the steel steps.

“It was only that we were each holding the handrail tightly, or it would have been a disaster. This was absolutely sabotage, as noted by a day’s earlier ‘post’ in The London Times that said UN workers ‘joked about turning off an escalator,'” he wrote.

And this claim can be confirmed in the outlet’s article. It reported that UN staff had joked about marking Donald’s arrival by shutting down escalators and elevators and telling him they had run out of funds so he would have to take the stairs instead.

White House Press Secretary Katherine Leavitt drew attention to the article by posting this specific part and writing, “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.”

Outrage and Suspicion Online

Now, Donald Trump has called for those who might have been involved in what he termed a “real disgrace” to be arrested. This incident has also sparked a flood of strong reactions online. One person voiced their alarm, “Security threat! Prove me wrong!”

Another person went into detail, saying, “When the escalator came to a sudden halt, Secret Service just looked around, hoping someone would fix the problem. That wasn’t supposed to happen, and it turned Trump into a stationary target. Why did they not cover and evacuate him immediately?”

A different voice stressed, “Agreed! Agents should have been shielding them quickly.” Other people argued, “Those who stopped it need to be charged. That’s a major security issue.” Suspicion quickly followed, with one commenter declaring, “No way it was [sic] coincidence.”

An individual expressed their frustration over professionalism, “Very Distasteful! The people who did that should be fired!” Another person pointed out, “Very petty move.” Someone who found the whole thing slightly comical noted, “Sketchy but looks like he figured out you can walk up a stationary escalator.”

One person injected a dose of realism, “You do realize the entire UN is extensively sweeped [sic], scanned, and monitored for any potential threats before Trump gets there, right? If somehow a hidden sniper was watching through an HVAC vent or something, it was not going to make a difference whether Trump came to a full stop or the escalator was moving 2-3ft a second.”

The person continued with speculation about what might have happened, “Some UN employees joked last week that they might stop the escalator when Trump was on it, and it made it to the news. They should definitely be fired for the following, along with the teleprompter person, if they messed with that as well, but I doubt criminal charges will come from it.”

Triple Sabotage Claim

The escalator, which has already caused uproar online, was only one of the three issues Donald highlighted in his Truth Social post. The second issue, he claimed, came just as he began addressing a global audience.

Donald said his teleprompter went “stone cold dark,” forcing him to deliver the first 15 minutes of his speech without any guidance. “The good news is the Speech has gotten fantastic reviews. Maybe they appreciated the fact that very few people could have done what I did,” he enthused.

A third failure, according to Donald, came in the form of a sound outage inside the hall. He said world leaders could not hear him unless they used interpreter earpieces. After his speech, he recalled asking Melania afterward how he had done — only for her to admit she hadn’t heard a word.

“This wasn’t a coincidence, this was triple sabotage at the UN. They ought to be ashamed of themselves. I’m sending a copy of this letter to the Secretary General, and I demand an immediate investigation,” the president declared.

Donald argued that the incidents reflected deeper failures at the UN, saying the organization has struggled to live up to its purpose. He urged that all security footage related to the escalator — particularly around the emergency stop button — be preserved.

The president added that the Secret Service was already looking into the matter and closed by demanding immediate attention to his concerns.

Golden Escalator Grinds to a Halt as the World Watches

As we previously reported, on September 23, 2025, Donald and Melania Trump attended the 80th session of the United Nations’ General Assembly (UNGA) at the UN headquarters in New York City.

But as they arrived to participate in this year’s session, the theme of which was “Better together: 80 years and more for peace, development and human rights” — with international press and diplomats watching — the unthinkable happened.

In a now-viral moment that has taken over social media, the escalator ferrying the first couple ground to an unexpected halt, leaving the POTUS and FLOTUS stalled awkwardly at the bottom of the golden-colored mechanism. As the machinery stopped just as it began its ascent, the Trumps appeared momentarily caught off guard.

Cameras continued to flash around them, capturing Melania glancing back, as if waiting to see if there would be assistance. The president, flanked by security and aides, also turned to assess the situation as the escalator remained unmoved beneath their feet.

As the couple looked back, they appeared to be slightly irritated, as a photo showing their expressions displayed Melania glancing at something or someone with a slight glare or side-eye, while her husband appeared stoic.

Melania Trump Takes Control as Donald Trump Follows Behind

What made the moment all the more striking was the ironic juxtaposition: the escalator directly beside them continued to run perfectly. Wasting no time, Melania, donning a sleek cream blazer and matching pants, took charge.

With steady grace and heels clicking against the metal, the first lady began walking up the motionless escalator — a quiet act of poise and determination. Donald followed behind, as he visibly adjusted his stance, and climbed the frozen staircase that now served only as a static structure.

Despite the snafu, the Trumps forged forward — all while the global media’s lenses captured every step. Reporters attempted to seize the moment, shouting questions toward the couple as they ascended. But the president offered no comment.

In one widely circulated photo, Donald is seen briefly gesturing with his index finger, a subtle nod that may have been in response to the commotion below — or a cue to keep moving forward.

UN Breaks Silence: What Really Caused the Escalator Failure

In the hours following the escalator malfunction, a spokesperson for the UN addressed the incident with a formal statement, offering an explanation for what caused the abrupt stop.

According to Stéphane Dujarric, the spokesperson for UN Secretary-General António Guterres, the mishap was not the result of a mechanical failure but rather a built-in safety mechanism being triggered — potentially by someone within the U.S delegation.

“President Trump, accompanied by the First Lady and delegation, arrived at the UNHQ building this morning, and entered through the Delegate’s entrance,” Stéphane outlined in his statement. “After passing through the security gates, President Trump and the First Lady approached the escalator.”

He went on to explain that a videographer from the U.S. delegation, who was attempting to film the Trumps’ entrance, had stepped onto the escalator just before the couple — walking backward in an effort to capture their ascent.

“As the videographer, who was traveling backwards up the escalator [sic] reached the top, the First Lady, followed by President Trump, each mounted the steps at the bottom. At that moment (9:50 a.m.), the escalator came to a stop,” the spokesperson explained.

UN personnel responded swiftly. “Our technician, who was at the location, reset the escalator as soon as the delegation had climbed up to the second floor,” he added. A follow-up investigation — which included a readout of the escalator’s central processing unit — confirmed that a safety mechanism built into the comb step had in fact been activated.

The safeguard, Stéphane clarified, is “designed to prevent people or objects accidentally being caught and stuck in or pulled into the gearing.”

Before providing an explanation, the White House had called for an investigation into the incident. Donald also acknowledged the mishap later during his address to the General Assembly.

Despite the Escalator Mishap, the Events of the Day Continued as Planned

Despite the unexpected start to the morning, the day’s proceedings at the UN headquarters moved forward as planned. The 80th session of the General Assembly opened at 9 a.m. ET with remarks from the UN Secretary-General, followed by Assembly President Annalena Baerbock.

The POTUS was slated as the second head of state to speak, taking the stage shortly after Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

His itinerary for the day included key diplomatic meetings with major global figures: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and Argentine President Javier Milei.

Later in the day, he was expected to host multilateral talks with Arab and Muslim leaders amid growing international pressure over the Gaza conflict. The president’s visit was scheduled to conclude with a formal diplomatic reception alongside dozens of global counterparts.

One Technical Glitch After Another as Donald Trump Takes the Stage

The escalator mishap wasn’t the only hiccup Donald encountered during his day at the UN event. Once at the podium, standing before a room of world leaders, the president was met with yet another technical issue — this time involving the teleprompter meant to guide his speech.

“I don’t mind making this speech without a teleprompter, because the teleprompter is not working,” Donald announced at the start of his address, drawing a ripple of laughter from attendees.

“I feel very happy to be up here with you, nevertheless, and that way, you speak more from the heart,” he added, turning the disruption into a moment of levity.

Still, the president couldn’t resist a pointed joke aimed at whoever was responsible for the oversight. “I can only say that whoever is operating this teleprompter is in big trouble,” he quipped, prompting further chuckles from the chamber.

A few minutes into his remarks, Donald appeared to pivot, referring instead to a printed version of his speech, which he held in his hands as he continued.

The brief glitch didn’t seem to derail his delivery significantly, but it marked the second instance that day where technical complications placed the president at the center of viral attention