Workers inspect escalator glitch during Trump’s UNGA arrival

At the United Nations headquarters in New York, workers on Tuesday inspected an escalator that abruptly shut down just as U.S. President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump stepped onto it. The incident, which briefly disrupted their arrival, later became a talking point in Trump’s General Assembly address. Breaking from his prepared remarks, he joked about receiving “a bad escalator and a bad teleprompter” from the UN, drawing laughter from delegates.

UN officials said the stoppage was likely triggered by a built-in safety mechanism, accidentally activated by a videographer accompanying the U.S. delegation. As for the faulty teleprompter, officials clarified that its operation was managed directly by the White House.

The lighthearted mishaps stood out against the backdrop of a high-stakes gathering of world leaders.