US President Donald Trump brushed off two mishaps at the United Nations on Tuesday, a stalled escalator and a faulty teleprompter but the White House demanded an investigation, fearing foul play against the US leader.
The incident unfolded at UN headquarters in New York when Trump and First Lady Melania stepped onto an escalator that suddenly stopped after moving only a short distance.
When the escalator stalled, Melania, wearing high heels, jolted forward as it came to a halt. The couple then chose to walk up the frozen escalator instead of switching to the adjacent moving one.
The 79-year-old president laughed it off, later joking in his General Assembly address that “all I got from the United Nations was an escalator that, on the way up, stopped right in the middle… and a bad teleprompter.”
He added that if Melania “wasn’t in great shape, she would have fallen, but she’s in great shape. We’re both in good shape.”
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt took a harsher view, calling the malfunction suspicious. Posting on X, she 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.”
Leavitt referred to a report in the Times of London that claimed UN staffers had joked about turning off escalators and lifts as a way to embarrass Trump amid US funding cuts.
As per The New York Post, the report quoted one idea circulating among staffers: “Turn off the escalators and lifts and simply tell Trump they ran out of money, so he had to walk up the stairs.”
Later, speaking to Fox News, Leavitt reiterated her concerns. “The audio inside of the room was much lower and different for the president of the United States than the previous speaker. So when you put all of this together, it doesn't look like a coincidence to me. And I know that we have people, including the United States Secret Service, who are looking into this to try to get to the bottom of it”, she added.
UN officials, however, rejected suggestions of sabotage. UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric told news agency AFP that the stoppage was caused when someone ahead of Trump accidentally triggered the safety mechanism. “The escalator was reset and was soon back in operation,” he said.
Another UN spokesperson, Farhan Aziz Haq, gave a similar explanation, stressing that the incident was not deliberate, according to the New York Post,
Trump’s speech also began with technical problems when his teleprompter failed to work. “Whoever is operating this teleprompter is in big trouble,” he quipped before linking both glitches to his wider criticism of the UN.
He claimed, “I ended seven wars, dealt with the leaders of each and every one of these countries, and never even received a phone call from the United Nations.”
Trump continued mocking the UN even after finishing his address, posting on Truth Social that while the equipment was “faulty,” the incidents “probably made the speech more interesting.” He reiterated his focus on energy and migration issues, describing the occasion as “a great honour to speak before the United Nations.”
The White House’s sharp response reflects ongoing tensions with the UN, particularly after Trump slashed about $1 billion in US funding since returning to office. Conservative commentators and some officials have also speculated about a deliberate attempt to undermine him.
A former Secret Service agent, Rich Staropoli, told RealClearPolitics, as cited by New York Post, that the response of Trump’s security detail during the mishap was inadequate, warning, “This is not hard. Don’t just stand there. Somebody’s got to make a call.”
For the UN, however, the matter was quickly closed. “Regarding the teleprompter, we have no comment since it is operated by the White House,” Dujarric was quoted as saying by AFP.
The incident unfolded at UN headquarters in New York when Trump and First Lady Melania stepped onto an escalator that suddenly stopped after moving only a short distance.
When the escalator stalled, Melania, wearing high heels, jolted forward as it came to a halt. The couple then chose to walk up the frozen escalator instead of switching to the adjacent moving one.
The 79-year-old president laughed it off, later joking in his General Assembly address that “all I got from the United Nations was an escalator that, on the way up, stopped right in the middle… and a bad teleprompter.”
NEW: White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt calls for investigation after a UN escalator shut off as President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump stepped on.
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) September 23, 2025
According to The Times, UN staff members had previously "joked" about turning off the escalator.
"To mark Trump’s… pic.twitter.com/UE1AFdCn2R
He added that if Melania “wasn’t in great shape, she would have fallen, but she’s in great shape. We’re both in good shape.”
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt took a harsher view, calling the malfunction suspicious. Posting on X, she 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.”
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.
— Karoline Leavitt (@PressSec) September 23, 2025
The Times reported this on Sunday.👇 pic.twitter.com/NitsWbGYG0
Leavitt referred to a report in the Times of London that claimed UN staffers had joked about turning off escalators and lifts as a way to embarrass Trump amid US funding cuts.
As per The New York Post, the report quoted one idea circulating among staffers: “Turn off the escalators and lifts and simply tell Trump they ran out of money, so he had to walk up the stairs.”
Later, speaking to Fox News, Leavitt reiterated her concerns. “The audio inside of the room was much lower and different for the president of the United States than the previous speaker. So when you put all of this together, it doesn't look like a coincidence to me. And I know that we have people, including the United States Secret Service, who are looking into this to try to get to the bottom of it”, she added.
🚨 BREAKING: The US Secret Service just launched an INVESTIGATION into the United Nations escalator suddenly stopping as soon as President Trump and Melania stepped on it, Karoline Leavitt confirms.
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) September 24, 2025
"If we find that these were UN staffers, who are purposely trying to trip up -… pic.twitter.com/lqTtqRMT4i
UN officials, however, rejected suggestions of sabotage. UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric told news agency AFP that the stoppage was caused when someone ahead of Trump accidentally triggered the safety mechanism. “The escalator was reset and was soon back in operation,” he said.
Another UN spokesperson, Farhan Aziz Haq, gave a similar explanation, stressing that the incident was not deliberate, according to the New York Post,
Trump’s speech also began with technical problems when his teleprompter failed to work. “Whoever is operating this teleprompter is in big trouble,” he quipped before linking both glitches to his wider criticism of the UN.
He claimed, “I ended seven wars, dealt with the leaders of each and every one of these countries, and never even received a phone call from the United Nations.”
Trump continued mocking the UN even after finishing his address, posting on Truth Social that while the equipment was “faulty,” the incidents “probably made the speech more interesting.” He reiterated his focus on energy and migration issues, describing the occasion as “a great honour to speak before the United Nations.”
The White House’s sharp response reflects ongoing tensions with the UN, particularly after Trump slashed about $1 billion in US funding since returning to office. Conservative commentators and some officials have also speculated about a deliberate attempt to undermine him.
A former Secret Service agent, Rich Staropoli, told RealClearPolitics, as cited by New York Post, that the response of Trump’s security detail during the mishap was inadequate, warning, “This is not hard. Don’t just stand there. Somebody’s got to make a call.”
For the UN, however, the matter was quickly closed. “Regarding the teleprompter, we have no comment since it is operated by the White House,” Dujarric was quoted as saying by AFP.
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