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White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt called for the firing and investigation of those responsible for a stalled escalator that carried President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump at Tuesday’s United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
The escalator malfunction occurred before Trump addressed the General Assembly in New York. He and the first lady were forced to walk up the stalled escalator.
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President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump are seen on an escalator that stalled at the United Nations on Tuesday. (Alexi J. Rosenfeld/Getty Images)
"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 posted on X.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the White House, the U.N., and the U.S. Secret Service.
The escalator malfunction wasn’t the only breakdown. Trump was forced to improvise his speech after a teleprompter froze.
"I feel very happy to be up here with you, nevertheless — and that way you speak more from the heart — I can only say that whoever is operating this teleprompter is in big trouble," he said, drawing laughs.
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President Donald Trump addresses the 80th United Nations General Assembly at UN headquarters in New York City. (Reuters/Mike Segar)
The teleprompter resumed a few minutes into his address.
"I ended seven wars, dealt with the leaders of these countries and never even received a phone call from the United Nations offering to help in finalizing the deal," Trump said. "All I got from the United Nations was an escalator that on the way up stopped right in the middle."
President Donald Trump, center, and first lady Melania Trump walk up the escalator after it stalled as he rode up to the General Assembly Hall on Tuesday at UN headquarters in New York City. (AP Photo/Stefan Jeremiah)
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"If the first lady wasn’t in great shape she would’ve fallen. But she’s in great shape, we’re both in good shape. We both stood," he added, drawing more laughter. "These are the two things I got from the United Nations: a bad escalator and a bad teleprompter."
