President Donald Trump laughed off an awkward moment on Tuesday when an escalator suddenly stopped while he and First Lady Melania Trump were riding it at United Nations headquarters in New York.
The incident was followed by a teleprompter malfunction during his speech to the General Assembly.
While Trump turned the malfunctions into jokes, the White House took the matter seriously, announcing an investigation into whether UN staff intentionally tampered with the escalator to embarrass the president.
Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said, “If we find that these were UN staffers who were purposefully trying to trip up the President and the First Lady, there better be accountability.”
Footage showed the escalator halting abruptly, though UN officials later explained that a safety mechanism had been triggered by someone ahead of the president. A videographer may have inadvertently set it off, they said.
Trump, unfazed, joked during his address, “These are the two things I got from the United Nations, a bad escalator and a bad teleprompter. Thank you very much.”
UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric insisted there was no foul play, adding that the teleprompter was solely operated by the White House. Escalators at UN headquarters, AFP noted, are often out of service.
What you should know
President Trump’s UN visit was marked by two glitches — a halted escalator and a failed teleprompter.
While the White House suspects possible sabotage, UN officials said the incidents had simple technical explanations. Trump, meanwhile, turned the mishaps into jokes during his speech.
