Trump alleges UN escalator sabotage during UN General Assembly, calls for arrests

President Donald Trump on Sept. 23, 2025 said an escalator at United Nations headquarters that stalled as he and first lady Melania Trump stepped onto it was 'absolutely sabotage' and urged authorities to arrest those responsible. The incident occurred as the couple arrived at the U.N. to address world leaders and diplomats during the General Assembly in New York.

Shouting from Truth Social, Trump described the escalator as coming to a 'screeching halt' and noted that Melania and he nearly tumbled. He cited a Times of London report that U.N. staffers had joked about turning off the escalator. A U.N. spokesman, Stéphane Dujarric, said a videographer from the U.S. delegation stepped onto the escalator ahead of the president and first lady, and that as the videographer reached the top the escalator stopped. He added that the stop occurred when a built-in safety mechanism on the comb step was triggered to prevent people or objects from being pulled into gearing. The videographer may have inadvertently triggered the safety function.

Trump also said his teleprompter failed during his address, leaving parts of the room unable to hear him. He described the scene as 'stone cold dark' and said the prompter restarted about 15 minutes later. He said the issue persisted through most of the speech and that he learned of the audio problem only at the end when he asked Melania how he did; she said she could not hear a word. 'This wasn’t a coincidence, this was triple sabotage at the UN,' he said, adding that the teleprompter troubles followed the escalator problem.

The incident occurred during a morning when the president was meeting with world leaders and diplomats to deliver remarks at the U.N. General Assembly. He said an 'immediate investigation' should be opened and that security tapes at the escalator should be saved, including the emergency stop button. He also noted that the Secret Service was involved in reviewing the events.

The notes say: Trump posted on Truth Social that the events were a 'REAL DISGRACE' and claimed three sinister events at the United Nations. He cited a Times of London report that UN staffers were overheard joking about switching off the escalator so he would have to walk to the hall to deliver his speech. He again called for an immediate investigation and asserted that all security tapes, including the emergency stop button, should be preserved.

The U.N. did not immediately respond to questions about the incident from The Post. Officials have said the escalator stoppage appeared to result from a built-in safety mechanism triggered at the top, and they indicated the videographer may have played a role by stepping onto the escalator as the president and first lady approached the steps. The agency also noted that the teleprompter malfunction was resolved during the speech, but they did not offer additional details.

The escalator episode comes as Trump continued his U.N. visit, where he is expected to meet with leaders and participate in a series of side events. The episode underscores the scrutiny of Trump’s public appearances on the world stage, where even routine moments are watched for potential missteps or disruptions.