Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt has demanded a formal investigation into the malfunctioning escalator at the UN General Assembly in New York City, which occurred as Donald and Melania Trump were stepping onto it.
She stated, “If someone at the UN intentionally stopped the escalator as the President and First Lady were stepping on, they need to be fired and investigated immediately.”
Leavitt took to social media to share a screenshot of The Times’ report from Sunday, which read: “To mark Trump’s arrival, UN staff members have joked that they may turn off the escalators and elevators and simply tell him they ran out of money, so he has to walk up the stairs.”
Earlier on Tuesday, when Donald Trump and First Lady Melania arrived at the United Nations, they were forced to ascend a non-operational escalator. This incident sparked an irate response from the president during his address to the General Assembly.
Trump remarked, “All I got from the United Nations was an escalator that on the way up stopped right in the middle. If the first lady wasn’t in great shape, she would have fallen, but she’s in great shape.”, reports the Irish Star.
“We’re both in great shape”, he added.
He continued, “This is these are two things I got from the United Nations, a bad escalator and a bad teleprompter. Thank you very much. And by the way, it’s working now.”
Trump also stated: “I don’t mind making this speech without a teleprompter – because the teleprompter is not working… I can only say that whoever is operating this teleprompter is in big trouble.”
A UN official letter later clarified that the teleprompter was operated by the White House’s own team. The President of the United Nations’ General Assembly confirmed, “The UN teleprompters are working perfectly.”
During his hour-long address, Trump also touched on climate change, labeling it as the “greatest con job ever”, reaffirmed his position that recognizing a Palestinian state would reward Hamas, criticized Europe over migration policies and its failure to “cut off” Russian energy products.
“I’ve come here today to offer the hand of American leadership and friendship to any nation in this assembly that is willing to join us in forging a safer, more prosperous world,” Trump declared on Sept. 23.
“But to get there, we must reject the failed approaches of the past and work together to confront some of the greatest threats in history.”
