President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump faced an unexpected incident at the United Nations headquarters in New York when an escalator they were riding abruptly stopped before Trump’s scheduled address. The pair calmly walked up the stalled escalator, but the episode quickly drew attention and speculation.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt demanded an investigation, suggesting the stoppage might have been deliberate. She cited reports that some UN staff members had joked about restricting Trump’s access to elevators and escalators ahead of his visit. Later, during an interview on Fox News, Leavitt reiterated her concern, hinting that the malfunction could have been sabotage and insisting there must be accountability if wrongdoing were found.
In response, the U.S. Secret Service began reviewing the matter. However, United Nations officials swiftly denied any malicious intent. Stéphane Dujarric, spokesperson for UN Secretary-General António Guterres, explained that the escalator’s automatic safety feature had been triggered when a U.S. videographer filming the Trumps backward accidentally activated the sensor near the top of the machine.
According to Dujarric, technicians quickly reset the escalator, and a follow-up check confirmed that the safety mechanism had functioned as designed. He emphasized that there was “nothing nefarious” about the stoppage, calling it a standard mechanical response to prevent injury or damage.
Trump later referenced the event humorously during his speech to the 80th UN General Assembly, joking that the malfunction might have been dangerous if not for the first lady’s fitness. He also made light of another mishap — a temporary teleprompter failure — joking that the operator was “in big trouble” before continuing his address.
The president used the rest of his speech to renew his criticisms of the UN, accusing the organization of inefficiency and claiming it had failed to contribute meaningfully to peace efforts or support U.S. diplomatic initiatives.
