White House demands investigation after Trump and Melania stalled on UN escalator

Trump UN escalator: White House wants investigation of sudden stop

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt expressed outrage over a stalled escalator at the United Nations that carried President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump, calling for an immediate investigation and the firing of those responsible.

The incident occurred just before Trump addressed the UN General Assembly in New York, forcing him and the first lady to walk up the halted escalator. Video footage shows the escalator abruptly stopping after only a few steps, though no injuries occurred.

Trump referenced the mishap during his speech, saying, “If the First Lady wasn't in great shape, she would have fallen. But she's in great shape. We're both in good shape.”

Leavitt tweeted on X (formerly Twitter), “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.” She cited a report by The Times, which noted that UN staff had joked about turning off escalators and elevators for Trump as a prank.

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. The Times reported this on Sunday.👇 pic.twitter.com/NitsWbGYG0

— Karoline Leavitt (@PressSec) September 23, 2025

However, a UN official told the Associated Press that the escalator stopped because someone traveling with Trump inadvertently hit the stop lever.

Trump also mocked the teleprompter malfunction during his address, saying, “I don’t mind making this speech without a teleprompter because the teleprompter is not working… that way you speak more from the heart — I can only say that whoever is operating this teleprompter is in big trouble.” He began reading from paper after the device failed.

The president also recounted his previous bid to renovate the UN headquarters, stating, “Many years ago, a very successful real estate developer in New York, known as Donald J. Trump, I bid on the renovation and rebuilding of this very United Nations complex… I realized that they did not know what they were doing when it came to construction… much more expensive at the time and produced a far inferior product.”

The White House and UN have not commented further, and Fox News Digital reported reaching out to the White House, the UN, and the U.S. Secret Service regarding the incident.