Donald Trump criticized the United Nations after a string of mishaps during his September 23, 2025, visit to New York, calling them “a real disgrace.” The trouble began when the escalator carrying Trump and First Lady Melania Trump abruptly stopped, nearly sending them forward. “It was only that we were holding the handrails tightly, or it would have been a disaster,” Trump wrote on Truth Social, suggesting it might have been intentional. The White House echoed concerns, demanding an investigation.
The President said two more failures followed: his teleprompter went dark, forcing him to improvise the first 15 minutes of his address, and then the sound system failed, leaving delegates reliant on interpreters. “This wasn’t a coincidence — this was triple sabotage at the UN,” he declared, vowing to press the Secretary-General for answers.
Photos showed Melania calmly leading the way up the halted escalator, while Trump followed with a stern expression. UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric later explained that a U.S. videographer had accidentally triggered the escalator’s safety mechanism by stepping on it backward. A review found no mechanical problems.
Despite glitches, Trump delivered his speech, joking afterward, “Whoever is operating this teleprompter is in big trouble.” He then continued with meetings, including talks with leaders from Ukraine, the EU, and Argentina.