Fox News host calls for bombing UN after escalator failure during Trump UN address

A Fox News panel frayed last Tuesday over the United Nations after an escalator carrying President Donald Trump and the first lady abruptly stopped at the U.N. headquarters in Midtown Manhattan during his remarks. The moment, compounded by a teleprompter glitch, drew sharp commentary from Fox News host Jesse Watters on The Five, who labeled the episode an insurrection and floated extreme options against the U.N.

"This is an insurrection," Watters said. "And what we need to do is either leave the UN or we need to bomb it." One of Watters' cohosts responded with an audible murmur, and the discussion continued with mixed reactions from the panel. "It is in New York, though, right? There can be some fallout there. Alright. Maybe gas it?" Watters pressed, while cohost Dana Perino cautioned, "But we need to destroy it." Watters replied, "Maybe we can demolish the building?" The remarks underscored a heated moment on the show, which also featured other panelists and a discussion of the escalator incident.

Perino later suggested repurposing the UN site into affordable housing. Watters rejected the idea, quipping that he preferred "nice sky-scrapers, Dana—expensive condominiums," noting the building’s proximity to the East River. The host then reiterated his belief that the incident was unacceptable and said he hoped those responsible would be held to account, emotionally as well as otherwise.

The next day, Trump demanded a formal investigation into the escalator stoppage, detailing his desire for answers regarding what he characterized as a problematic display during his UN visit. In a UN statement issued the day of the incident, a spokesperson explained that the safety mechanism is designed to prevent people or objects from becoming caught or pulled into the escalator’s gearing, a standard precaution in large public facilities.

An anonymous source told ABC News that the teleprompter cut during Trump’s speech was operated by someone from the White House and not a UN staffer, a claim that fed into a broader media narrative about coordination and control during the president’s appearance at the UN. The ABC report did not specify the actor behind the teleprompter issue, but it added fuel to online speculation about internal fluctuations within the White House and its handling of the UN engagement.

White House figures weighed in on social media and in press statements about the episode. Karoline Leavitt, then White House press secretary, asserted on X that UN staffers were engaged in acts that she described as plotting against the president, attributing a Times article excerpt to suggest that UN staffers could have muted the escalators as Trump arrived. The post drew widespread attention and condemnation. Leavitt’s comments reflected a broader pattern of partisan and sensational commentary surrounding the UN visit and the escalator moment.

During the Trump address, the president himself criticized the United Nations, asking, "what is the purpose of the UN?" He followed with a quip that appeared to summarize his take on the encounter: "These are the two things I got from the United Nations: a bad escalator and a bad teleprompter." The remarks punctuated a tense moment between the U.S. executive branch and the international body, illustrating how a routine diplomatic stop can become a flashpoint for domestic political narratives.

The UN’s account of the incident emphasized safety protocols rather than fault, explaining that the mechanism prevents entrapment and is routinely active in high-traffic locations. Officials did not indicate any malfunction beyond the normal safety operation, and they urged patience while investigations continue into the sequence of events that led to the escalator’s stoppage. The episode occurred as Trump spoke to the assembly, an event that has long been a focal point for questions about U.S. engagement with the United Nations and the administration’s stance on multilateral institutions.

The public reaction to Watters’ remarks mirrored a broader online discussion about incitement and the boundaries of political rhetoric. Critics argued that calls to violence against a multinational organization, regardless of belief about its policies, cross a line and risk normalizing threats in political discourse. Supporters of Watters’ stance framed the episode as a reflection of frustration with what they perceive as bureaucratic inertia and perceived anti-American bias within international institutions. The incident has prompted ongoing debate about how media personalities influence political sentiment and U.S. policy toward the United Nations, particularly as the U.N. continues to host discussions on global security, humanitarian efforts, and international diplomacy.

As the week progressed, lawmakers and analysts weighed the incident against the broader context of U.S.–UN relations, the role of televised punditry in shaping public opinion, and the responsibilities of media platforms in moderating extreme rhetoric. While the escalator mishap has been resolved, the dialogue surrounding it — including calls for investigations, rebuttals from White House officials, and the framing by major networks — underscored the charged atmosphere surrounding U.S. politics and international engagement in the closing stretch of the year.