A curious incident at the United Nations headquarters in New York has sparked a Secret Service investigation into whether an escalator carrying President Donald Trump was deliberately tampered with.
According to the Daily Mail, President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump were arriving for the UN General Assembly when the escalator they boarded abruptly stopped. The couple had to climb the metal stairs manually, with Trump casting a sharp glare at bystanders as they ascended.
The UN quickly offered an explanation, with spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric suggesting the president’s videographer, seen moving backward on the escalator to film the couple, likely triggered a safety shut-off mechanism. But this convenient excuse has done little to quell suspicions of foul play or incompetence at an institution already under scrutiny for its relevance.
President Trump didn’t mince words, using the incident to lambast the UN as a broken organization during his General Assembly address. He quipped, “These are the two things I got from the United Nations: a bad escalator and a bad teleprompter,” highlighting his frustration with the day’s mishaps.
Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt echoed the president’s irritation on Fox News, referencing a Sunday Times report claiming UN staffers had jokingly discussed shutting off escalators to inconvenience Trump. Her pointed remarks suggest a deeper distrust of the global body’s intentions toward America’s leadership.
The White House has remained tight-lipped since, with a spokesperson declining to comment further while the Secret Service takes over the investigation. Their silence speaks volumes about the gravity with which they’re treating this peculiar episode.
Leavitt took her concerns to Jesse Watters Primetime, asserting that “UN globalist staffers were basically plotting to set up the president of the United States.” If proven true, such childish antics from unelected bureaucrats would only deepen the skepticism many Americans feel toward international organizations.
The Secret Service has yet to release findings on whether this was sabotage or a genuine malfunction, leaving the public to speculate. Their involvement underscores the potential security implications of even a minor glitch when it involves the president.
Meanwhile, the UN’s Dujarric doubled down, explaining that a safety mechanism at the top of the escalator was likely activated by the videographer’s movements. Technicians reset the equipment shortly after the delegation reached the second floor, and it reportedly functioned normally for the rest of the morning.
Trump’s speech at the General Assembly pulled no punches, as he criticized the UN for failing to support his efforts to end seven wars or engage with world leaders during critical negotiations. “What is the purpose of the UN? It’s not even coming close to living up to that potential,” he declared, tying the escalator incident to broader institutional shortcomings.
Adding fuel to the fire, a teleprompter malfunction during his address further irritated the president, though Dujarric clarified the White House operated the equipment themselves. These technical blunders, intentional or not, paint a picture of an organization struggling to manage even basic logistics for a world leader.
For many, these incidents symbolize the disconnect between the UN’s lofty ideals and its practical utility. When an escalator stoppage becomes a metaphor for bureaucratic stagnation, it’s hard not to question the value of America’s investment in such a body.
The Secret Service’s probe will hopefully shed light on whether this was a deliberate act or simply an unfortunate mishap. Leavitt’s vow to personally ensure accountability if UN staffers are found culpable signals that the administration won’t let this slide quietly.
For now, the image of President Trump and the First Lady trudging up stalled metal stairs lingers as a stark reminder of the challenges faced by leaders who dare to challenge the status quo. It’s a small incident, perhaps, but one that encapsulates the friction between America First policies and globalist agendas.
As the investigation unfolds, the public awaits answers about what really happened at the UN that morning. Whether it’s negligence or something more sinister, this episode has already cemented itself as a talking point for those weary of international bureaucracies overreaching their competence.