The world may finally rest easy as the great escalator mystery behind the United Nations General Assembly — Why the moving staircase stopped as soon as US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump stepped on, may have been cracked.
Spoiler: it wasn't sabotage, as clarified by the UN. Neither an attempt to assassinate nor to humiliate the US President. It was… Trump's own videographer.
According to Reuters, UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said that the escalator’s central processing unit revealed that a built-in safety mechanism was triggered.
And, who is the culprit? Trump's own cameraman. Dujarric added that Trump's cameraman was reportedly walking backwards up the escalator to capture the couple's grand entrance. It is speculated that he tripped the safety comb-step at the top.
"The safety mechanism is designed to prevent people or objects accidentally being caught and stuck in or pulled into the gearing," Dujarric deadpanned, as quoted by Reuters.
Social media stairway to chaos
A video has been doing rounds on social media, which captured the moment Trump and Melania stepped onto the escalator. The First Lady, unfazed, simply marched up the now-stationary steps, while Trump looked around like he'd just been pranked.
X erupted
"That’s pretty serious - what sounds like a petty "joke" could actually cross into a security risk when it involves a head of state. If intentional, it’s not just unprofessional, it’s dangerous and disrespectful," one user said.
"Nice way to treat your biggest funder," another said.
"I loved how the First Lady didn't even blink and kept going up the escalators," one commented.
Trump responds
Trump didn't let go of the opportunity to miss a punchline. He later joked to the UN's 193-member assembly: "These are the two things I got from the United Nations—a bad escalator and a bad teleprompter."
The White House, however, wasn't laughing and took the matter seriously while launching an investigation. Press secretary Karoline Leavitt demanded a full probe: "If someone at the UN intentionally stopped the escalator, they need to be fired and investigated immediately."
Spoiler: it wasn't sabotage, as clarified by the UN. Neither an attempt to assassinate nor to humiliate the US President. It was… Trump's own videographer.
According to Reuters, UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said that the escalator’s central processing unit revealed that a built-in safety mechanism was triggered.
And, who is the culprit? Trump's own cameraman. Dujarric added that Trump's cameraman was reportedly walking backwards up the escalator to capture the couple's grand entrance. It is speculated that he tripped the safety comb-step at the top.
NEW: White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt calls for investigation after a UN escalator shut off as President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump stepped on.
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) September 23, 2025
According to The Times, UN staff members had previously "joked" about turning off the escalator.
"To mark Trump’s… pic.twitter.com/UE1AFdCn2R
"The safety mechanism is designed to prevent people or objects accidentally being caught and stuck in or pulled into the gearing," Dujarric deadpanned, as quoted by Reuters.
Social media stairway to chaos
A video has been doing rounds on social media, which captured the moment Trump and Melania stepped onto the escalator. The First Lady, unfazed, simply marched up the now-stationary steps, while Trump looked around like he'd just been pranked.
X erupted
"That’s pretty serious - what sounds like a petty "joke" could actually cross into a security risk when it involves a head of state. If intentional, it’s not just unprofessional, it’s dangerous and disrespectful," one user said.
"Nice way to treat your biggest funder," another said.
"I loved how the First Lady didn't even blink and kept going up the escalators," one commented.
Trump responds
Trump didn't let go of the opportunity to miss a punchline. He later joked to the UN's 193-member assembly: "These are the two things I got from the United Nations—a bad escalator and a bad teleprompter."
The White House, however, wasn't laughing and took the matter seriously while launching an investigation. Press secretary Karoline Leavitt demanded a full probe: "If someone at the UN intentionally stopped the escalator, they need to be fired and investigated immediately."
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