NEW YORK – United Nations witnessed a rare moment as US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania were forced to navigate a sudden escalator halt, sparking POTUS to call “triple sabotage” during his visit to the General Assembly.
In a fiery address, Trump blasted UN, claiming the escalator stopped “on a dime” and that Melania could have fallen if not for her fitness. Adding to his outrage, he slammed a malfunctioning teleprompter and audio issues in the hall, calling the incidents a “REAL DISGRACE.”
Here’s when the UN escalator stopped working the second Trump & Melania got to it
(The teleprompter stopped right when he started his speech also) pic.twitter.com/fxmDetY3Yb
— The Tennessee Holler (@TheTNHoller) September 23, 2025
Trump suggested on social media that U.N. staff may have joked about turning off escalators to make him walk, demanding the culprits be held accountable. “It’s amazing we didn’t end up face first on the steel steps,” he wrote, vowing to send a letter to Secretary-General António Guterres and calling for an immediate investigation.
U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Mike Waltz backed Trump, denouncing the incidents as “outrageous failures” and major security risks. Fox Business host Maria Bartiromo warned the escalator malfunction could have been a “massive, massive issue” for the former president.
United Nations also responded that the escalator’s safety mechanism may have been accidentally triggered by a U.S. videographer filming the Trumps, and confirmed that the teleprompter and audio systems were managed by the U.S. delegation. Secretary-General Guterres, seeking to avoid further tension, ordered a “thorough investigation” and pledged full cooperation with U.S. authorities.
