Topics: Donald Trump, Melania Trump, World News, US News, Social Media, Twitter, Politics
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People are convinced that someone played a major prank on Donald and Melania Trump during their visit to the United Nations headquarters on Tuesday (23 September).
The United States president, 79, and First Lady, 55, were in New York so Trump could address the UN General Assembly for the first time since the beginning of his second term in January.
In his speech, which some have called a 'roast,' he spoke about the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia, climate change, artificial intelligence, immigration, and everything in between.
He took particular aim at London's Mayor Sadiq Khan and told the other UN nations that they are 'going to hell'. Way to make an impression.
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However, things began going wrong before he actually took to the stage, as some technical malfunctions started the visit off on a bad foot.
Upon arrival, Trump and Melania made their way towards an escalator to head upstairs, however, the moment they stepped onto it, it stopped moving so they had to walk up instead.
In a video, he can be seen telling the UN Deputy Secretary General, Amina J. Mohammed: "The escalator just broke down… with us in the middle of it."
Trump added: "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."
Then, the bad luck continued as moments before Trump was supposed to issue his speech, he realised the teleprompter wasn't working.
He said: "I don't mind making this speech without a teleprompter - because the teleprompter is not working. I feel very happy to be up here with you nevertheless and that way you speak more from the heart."
Trump then jokingly added: "I can only say that whoever is operating this teleprompter is in big trouble."
However, the conspiracy theory that it was all an intentional sabotage has spread across social media like wildfire, and now, White House staff are even getting involved.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt pointed out that a Times article published on Sunday claimed that UN workers had been overheard joking about switching off the power to an escalator, before Trump's visit.
The Times article 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."
Leavitt reposted it and penned: "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."
Meanwhile, someone else wrote on Twitter: "In all seriousness, if the stopped escalator was an act of sabotage, whoever is responsible must be severely punished.
"Melania lost her balance and had to quickly grab the rails. The President and First Lady could have fallen and been injured."
In response to the claims, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric told Sky News that a videographer from Trump's own team, who ran ahead of the president, could have triggered the stop mechanism at the top of the escalator.
He told the publication in a statement: "The safety mechanism is designed to prevent people or objects accidentally being caught and stuck in or pulled into the gearing
"The videographer may have inadvertently triggered the safety function."
Tyla has contacted the United Nations for comment.
