Former U.S. President Donald Trump has claimed he was the target of “sabotage” at the United Nations General Assembly after an escalator malfunctioned as he and his wife, Melania, stepped on it. The incident forced them to walk up the steps.
Escalator Stops Mid-Ride
Footage widely shared online shows Trump looking around in surprise when the escalator suddenly halted, while Melania continued ahead. Speaking on Truth Social the next day, Trump linked the malfunction to two other disruptions during his UN address, a blank teleprompter and sound issues. He called the sequence of events “not one, not two, but three very sinister acts.”
Trump said he narrowly avoided falling. “It’s amazing that Melania and I didn’t go face-first onto those steel steps. We held the handrails tightly, or it would have been a disaster,” he posted.
UN Explains Cause
Stéphane Dujarric, spokesperson for UN Secretary-General António Guterres, dismissed sabotage claims. He explained that a White House videographer running backwards on the escalator accidentally triggered a safety mechanism designed to prevent accidents.
The UN also clarified that the White House team controlled Trump’s teleprompter, while the sound system was set up for multilingual translation.
Conspiracy Theories Spread
Despite official explanations, Trump and several conservative figures insist the incidents were intentional. Trump demanded an “immediate investigation” in a letter to Guterres. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt called for accountability if UN staff were responsible.
Republican lawmakers and right-wing commentators fueled speculation online, with some urging the U.S. to defund the UN. Tennessee Rep. Tim Burchett and activist Liz Wheeler joined calls for action, while Fox News host Jesse Watters suggested—jokingly—that the UN building be demolished.
Security Concerns Raised
Several conservative commentators went further, describing the malfunction as a potential assassination setup. “The stalled escalator with President Trump and First Lady Melania stuck on it was a classic set-up for a hit,” one political correspondent wrote.
Meanwhile, North Carolina Labor Commissioner Luke Farley, responsible for escalator safety in his state, confirmed the danger: “Stopping one with riders on it is incredibly dangerous—President Trump and the First Lady could have been seriously hurt.”
Critics Push Back
Opponents dismissed the claims as political theater. Some argued the uproar overshadowed controversies linked to Trump’s ties with documents involving Jeffrey Epstein. Others mocked the idea that walking up an escalator briefly placed him in a “fatal funnel.”
Trump’s Final Word
Addressing the General Assembly, Trump summed up his frustration: “All I got from the United Nations was a bad escalator and a bad teleprompter.”
