White House Alleges Deliberate UN Escalator Sabotage During Trump's Speech

During President Donald Trump's 2025 visit to the United Nations headquarters, an escalator abruptly stalled just as he and First Lady Melania Trump stepped onto it, causing them to walk up the stalled escalator. The incident, which was explained by UN officials as a likely accidental activation of a safety mechanism, sparked widespread conspiracy theories fueled by the White House, which accused UN staff of intentionally sabotaging the escalator to humiliate the president. President Trump referenced the escalator incident and a teleprompter malfunction during his speech, using the technical difficulties to joke about speaking "from the heart." While some social media users questioned the Secret Service's response to the escalator halt, others emphasized the extensive security measures at the UN. The White House demanded an investigation into the alleged deliberate act, citing reports of UN staff jokes about stopping escalators as a prank. The episode overshadowed the president's address, where he criticized the UN's immigration policies and European nations' energy dealings amid the Ukraine conflict.