During U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent visit to the United Nations, two unexpected events marred his appearance: his escalator malfunctioned precisely as he stepped onto it, and his teleprompter failed during his speech. Intriguingly, the escalator issue seemed to have been playfully anticipated by UN staff members the week prior.
Escalator Incident Foreshadowed
The escalator at the UN headquarters in New York reportedly stopped abruptly when President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump began their ascent. In an uncanny turn of events, UN staff were reportedly overheard making lighthearted remarks about disabling the escalators and elevators, suggesting Trump might have to take the stairs instead.
White House Calls for Inquiry
In response to these reports, the White House indicated that an investigation would be necessary if the escalator incident was intentionally caused. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated on X, “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.”
However, the UN’s preliminary assessment suggests that a member of Trump’s entourage may have accidentally triggered a safety mechanism. UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric explained that the escalator’s system indicated a safety feature was activated at the top of the escalator. He noted that Trump’s videographer, who was filming his arrival, might have inadvertently set off this mechanism, which is designed to prevent accidents involving people or objects getting caught in the machinery.