President Donald Trump's visit to the United Nations took an unexpected turn this week when an escalator suddenly stopped working.

The White House has since suggested that the incident may have been an act of sabotage which could have resulted in tragedy for the president and First Lady Melania Trump.

White House press secretary points to news report

According to the New York Post, that claim was put forward in a social media post by White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt.

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.

The Times reported this on Sunday.👇 pic.twitter.com/NitsWbGYG0

— Karoline Leavitt (@PressSec) September 23, 2025

"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," she declared.

Leavitt cited a report published by the Times of London which alleged that building staff were previously heard joking about shutting off the elevator and forcing Trump to walk up stairs.

United Nations spokesperson Farhan Aziz Haq told the Times that the escalator's "safety mechanism was inadvertently triggered by someone who was ahead of the president."

Trump jokes about poor construction of United Nations Headquarters

The Post noted how Trump at one point made reference to the elevator incident while addressing members of the United Nations General Assembly.

The president recalled how his company had unsuccessfully bid to work on the United Nations Headquarters and then slammed the contractors who won out.

"I realized that they did not know what they were doing when it came to construction, and that their building concepts were so wrong," he lamented.

"As far as I’m concerned, frankly, looking at the building and getting stuck on the escalator, they still haven’t finished the job," Trump added as some members of the audience chuckled.

Study: Escalator accidents can cause serious injuries and death

A 2013 study published by the National Library of Medicine found that every year, roughly 10,000 people sustain injuries tied to escalator use which require emergency department treatment.

"Escalator-related accidents can cause significant medical consequences," the study explained before noting that some outcomes are fatal.

"Even though most patients suffered soft tissue injuries, many suffered severe injuries, injuries to multiple body parts, or had to be admitted to the hospital or undergo surgery," it went on to add.